The Fear of Striking Out
by smilzforlife
Summary: "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game" a motto Tim Lincecum has lived by. But after two failed relationships, Tim fears he'll strike out with the next one. But will he think otherwise when he meets Tessa Kershaw?
1. LA Misses You

**A/N: I have character profiles on my profile. If you go to it, there are three links for you to see the characters and a little more about them**

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><p>Have you ever been to a place that completely took your breath away? That exceeded all your expectations and made you wish you had been there sooner?<p>

Well, that's exactly what happened to Tessa Kershaw. She honestly couldn't imagine herself being anywhere else. She thought this place, this city, was where she was meant to be all along. Tessa remembered going there once a couple of years ago with her brother and sister-in-law (her brother had asked her to go with them because he had a baseball game and wanted her to attend). Now he immediately regrets ever asking her to join them; once she stepped foot on San Francisco soil, it owned her heart and once she left, her heart stayed behind. Tessa promised herself one day she'd be back and now she was….permanently.

It was another beautiful day in the month of June. It was cooler today than it had been the previous days, but Tessa didn't mind one bit. She sat at the windowsill looking out into the street; a mug of hot chocolate in one hand as the other scratched behind the ear of her cat Momo. He purred delightfully, swinging his tail back and forth contently. As soon as she got up to put the dirty mug in the sink, she heard her phone start to ring. She already knew who it was without even giving it a second thought. She picked it up from the coffee table and smiled seeing his name across the screen, knowing it would be him.

"Hey Clayton," she said in a rather drone tone.

"Awe, come on Tess. That didn't sound like a happy greeting," he replied.

She rolled her eyes and sat down on her couch. "Hmm...Maybe because you call me twice a day, every day."

Clayton scoffed on the other end of the line. "Well, excuse me for being a good brother. I'm sorry for being so worried about my little and only sister," he said dramatically.

Tessa laughed into the phone. "Okay, okay, I see your point, but couldn't you down the calls to once a day? Or twice a day every other day?" she asked, petting the sleeping corgi next to her.

He didn't answer right away, thinking about the compromise. "Fine, I'll only call once a day, but you have to text when you get home, so I know you're okay."

Tessa didn't hesitate to answer. "Deal."

"Awesome. So, Ellen and I were talking and thought you should come down and visit soon," Clayton said.

"Really? I _just_ moved here three weeks ago. Why do y'all want me to go visit so soon?" she asked curiously.

"Because Tess, L.A. misses you," he answered.

Tessa chuckled a little. "Uh-huh. I'm sure it does and it's not just you," she said sarcastically.

"Actually, it's Ellen who misses you and wants you to move back," he whispered.

"He's lying!" Tessa heard Ellen yell from the background. "But I do miss you Tess!"

"Awe, I miss you too Elle!" Tessa answered back.

"Okay enough of the yelling through the phone. Gosh. So, how do Momo and Tuck like their new home?" he asked.

Tessa smiled as she looked at Tucker, her corgi, and Momo, her cat. "Well, Tuck loves it here and gets excited when we go for walks. Momo on the other hand, isn't taking the move quite as well. He doesn't like being inside all day. Do you Momo?" she asked looking back at the yawning cat.

"I knew that cat was smart. You see, you should've just gone to school here."

Tessa let out a fake laugh. "You're so funny. The cat does not determine whether or not I'd move somewhere. He'll get over it."

"Yeah, I'm sure he will. So how's the apartment looking? Did you unpack all your stuff?" Clayton asked.

Tessa looked around her empty apartment. The only things that occupied the empty rooms were her essential furniture (her bed, dresser, tables, couch, and TV) and the many boxes of her other things. She frowned, realizing she hadn't made an effort to make her new apartment homey.

"Um…no. I still need to unpack a lot of stuff," she admitted.

"I should've figure. Well since you have the day off today, maybe you can get all that done," he suggested.

"Actually, I don't and I probably should get going," Tessa said looking at the time on her phone.

"What? I thought you had the night off?"

"I did, but a co-worker asked if I could work her shift, so I took it. I mean, I could use the extra money," Tessa said heading towards her room to get ready.

"Extra money for what? And you're working at night? I don't know Tess, I don't like the idea of you out at night in a city you've barely moved to," Clayton said expressing his worry.

"Well, grad school isn't exactly cheap and neither is this apartment. And I'll be fine and I'll text you when I get home," she said grabbing her work uniform from her closet.

"I already told you, I'd help with all that so you wouldn't have to worry and stress over it. I know you don't like it when I help you out financially, but think of it as a present for getting into grad school. Ellen and I are very proud of you sis." Tessa could tell he was smiling.

She sighed. "I know and thanks. Okay, I really, really need to get going. I'll talk to you later. Bye!" she said hurriedly.

"Okay. Bye," she heard before the sound of the dial tone came up.

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><p>The ace pitcher brushed back his hair into one of his hands and secured it into a ponytail. It wasn't his usual hairstyle, but he thought it suited his semi-casual attire. Zito had extended an invitation to Tim for dinner and drinks, which he gladly accepted. After the sweep in Oakland, his start being one of them, he was definitely going to enjoy the last of his Monday off.<p>

Tim smoothed out the small bumps in his hair and did a once over to make sure his appearance was okay. He wanted to make sure he wouldn't be told to, "Please don't bother Mr. Zito. No autographs tonight." A memory he vividly remembers and laughs about every time he and Zito meet. As soon as he walked into his bedroom, his phone went off, which caused a sleeping Cy to perk up and grunt at the noise.

Tim laughed as he picked up the phone. "Hello?" he answered.

"Aye, you on your way already?" Zito asked.

Tim looked at his watch and saw it was probably a good idea to head out. "Yeah just about to leave," he said grabbing his car keys.

"Cool, see ya in a few then," Zito responded and Tim could hear him slam a car door.

"All right man," he said hanging up.

Tim was really looking forward to hanging with Zito and having a few drinks. He really needed to unwind before the Twins series, which he would be pitching in. Plus his Monday had been pretty mundane. All he did was sleep in, walk Cy, and bum around his apartment until it was time to get ready for dinner. Not only that, he was still hung up over his latest break-up, which he thought she was "the one". And he really needed to shake it off by his next start.

He dug his hands into his pockets as he walked towards the fancy restaurant. He was hoping no one would recognize him, thinking the ponytail would help some, so he could just relax and enjoy drinks and a meal. He saw Zito leaning against the bar with a drink in hand and waved at him as he entered the restaurant. Zito waved back and motioned for Tim to hurry over.

"Glad to see you made it through without someone telling you to leave me alone," Zito said before sipping on his drink.

Tim smirked and laughed off his comment. "Yeah, must've been my wardrobe last time."

Zito gunned down the rest of his drink and chuckled. "Probably," he agreed and walked over to one of the empty tables.

Tim followed behind and took a seat across from Zito. "Lemme guess, your sister's working tonight," Tim said scooting his chair forward.

"Of course, otherwise I would've suggested something more casual," Zito responded.

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><p>Tessa placed her recent tip inside the pouch of her apron. It had been a busy evening and although the tips were good, she was exhausted. She looked up and saw a couple of men sit in her section and let out an exaggerated sigh.<p>

"Why do so many people sit in Emily's section?" she asked one of her co-workers.

"Hey, I wouldn't be complaining about this one," the waitress said, motioning her head towards the men.

Tessa eyed her curiously. "Why? They famous or something?" she asked jokingly.

"You really don't know?" the woman asked seriously. Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "That is Emily's brother, Barry Zito," she said pointing to the shorthaired man. "And that," she said smiling, "is 'The Freak'."


	2. Planet Zito and The Freak

Zito swished around the ice in his once filled glass and tapped his foot impatiently. Tim looked back and forth between his menu and Zito.

"You okay?" Tim asked looking towards Barry.

Zito stopped what he was doing and looked at Tim. "Yeah. I'm just wondering where the hell my sister is. She probably saw me and is hiding out for a bit. God, she's so immature sometimes," he rambled.

Tim chuckled and returned his attention to his menu. "I'm sure she's on her way to take our order," he assured Zito.

Zito huffed and continued to look out for his sister, Emily. "So, how do you think the Twin's series is gonna go?" he asked Tim, not looking at him.

Tim shrugged his shoulders, eyes still on the menu. "Hopefully well and hopefully I pitch well too. I'm tired of having these mini-slumps," he confessed.

"Yeah I getcha; I can't wait to be done with my rehab and start again," Zito added, now staring at his glass.

"Do you know when you'll be back?" Tim asked looking at Barry.

Zito shook his head and looked at Tim. "Nope, but I'll talk to Bochy about it soon."

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><p>Tessa looked back at the two men, who were conversing amongst themselves, then back at her co-worker. "Okay," she answered still slightly confused.<p>

The waitress gave Tessa an "are you for real?" look and placed her hands on her hips. "Come on Tess, if you're gonna be living in San Francisco, you have to at least know who the Giants are."

Then it clicked and Tessa nodded her head understandably. "Oh I see; they play for the Giants. And since they won the World Series, I'm guessing they're even more famous."

"More like local heroes. But at least you know who they are. Anyways, if you can, snag me an autograph," she said giving Tessa a wink.

Tessa laughed to herself and then let out a sigh before heading over to Tim and Zito's table. She approached the pair smiling. Zito looked up at her slightly confused, wondering if she was a fan looking for an autograph; he gave her a "what do you want?" look.

She ignored his facial gesture and continued to smile. "Hi, welcome to Michael Mina's. My name is Tessa and I'll be serving you tonight," she greeted. "What can I get –," she began, but was cut off by Barry.

"I'm sorry, but um, where's Emily?" he asked.

Tessa was a bit taken aback by Barry's sudden abruptness, but composed herself before answering him. "Oh, she called in sick tonight. I'm covering for her," Tessa explained.

Zito didn't seem too please with her answer and muttered something incoherent to her and Tim. But he smiled up at her and waited for her to continue. Tessa felt the atmosphere become slightly awkward and thought Zito to be a little strange, almost wishing she hadn't taken Emily's shift after all.

"All right, well um, what can I get y'all to drink?" she asked, placing back a friendly face.

Zito gave her a puzzled look and she figured she should get used to this throughout the night. "I'm sorry, what did you ask?"

"Uh-um…what can I get y'all to drink?" she asked almost unsure if that was what he was referring to.

Zito smirked and chuckled a little to himself. Tim looked over at his friend, unsure of what he was up to, then looked up at Tessa, and saw how uneasy she was at the moment. He felt kind of bad that she had to put up with Zito when it should've been his sister.

"You're not from here are you?" he asked, knowing the answer would be 'no'.

Tessa gave a subtle smile and shook her head. "No, I just moved here. Is it that obvious?"

Zito held out his hand and pinched his index finger and thumb together. "Just a little. Where'd you move from?"

Tessa thought the situation strange to say the least. Since she had been working there, no one was interested in her personal life – had asked her question like these. She wondered why the sudden interest?

"From L.A." she answered coolly, knowing that wasn't the answer he was looking for.

Tim still looked between the two confused, not really sure what to do himself. But no one paid any attention to him, so he sat and waited for the two to finish their conversation.

Zito gave a skeptical look, one Tessa was expecting from him. "Oh."

Tessa laughed to herself. "Well, I moved to L.A. from Texas, if that explains anything. Why do you ask?" She was curious.

"Now _that_ makes _a lot_ of sense. And it was the way you said 'y'all', but you don't really have a Texas accent either," he commented.

"You'd be surprised how many of us actually don't," she answered, smiling at Barry, then at Tim, who froze when she did. "Well, as much as I'm enjoying answering your questions, I have other tables to get to, so what can I get y'all to drink?" she asked again.

Zito held up his sweaty glass. "I'll have another one of these," he said shaking the glass so the ice made a "cling" sound when he shook it.

Tessa nodded and turned her attention to Tim. "I'll just have a coke for now," he responded, smiling at her.

She returned one back and left the pair to get their drinks. Tim watched her leave and then gave his full attention to Zito, who looked pleased with himself.

"What the hell was that about?" Tim asked, wondering what was going through his friend's mind.

Zito was still staring in the direction Tessa had left and continued to stare that way as he spoke. "I think she's the girl my sister was talking about."

"And?" Tim didn't really understand why Zito was interested in their waitress.

"Well, you should hook-up with her. What? It's been almost a month since you and Lisa broke up. Time to move along my friend," Zito told Tim casually.

The "are you for real" look was plastered across Tim's face after what Barry told him. "You're joking right? I'm not hooking with her; you know I don't do that. You can if you want."

Zito shook his head. "Nah man, she just moved here for school. That means she's like eighteen or so. That's _too_ young for me."

"And it didn't occur to you that eighteen wouldn't be too young for me?" Tim asked.

Zito looked up and noticed Tessa walking towards them. "Shhh she's coming back," he whispered.

"Here ya go," Tessa said placing Barry's drink and Tim's coke on the table.

"You know, I think I'll have one of those," Tim said pointing to Barry's drink.

Tessa nodded. "You got it. And are you two ready to order?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

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><p>Barry and Tim were halfway through their meals – Zito on his third drink and Tim on his second. Zito had dropped the conversation they were previously having about Tim moving on from Lisa, at least for a while. But from the time Zito had mentioned it, Tim kept thinking about it more, trying to shun away from the idea. He had never been attracted to brunettes, but he was with her, figuring it probably had something to do with her blue eyes.<p>

"I think I'm gonna tell Emily to invite her," Zito said.

Tim snapped away from his thoughts, having not really been paying attention to anything Zito had said the last few minutes. "What?" he asked.

"I said, I think I'm gonna tell Emily to invite, um, Tessa," Barry repeated.

Tim had forgotten Zito was throwing a party that upcoming Wednesday. Majority of the Giants guys would be there, along with their significant other, and of course for those who didn't, random girls who were unknown to them all.

Tim shrugged his shoulders. "If you want; I'm still not hooking up with her though," he protested.

Zito rolled his eyes and pushed his plate away. "Whatever man. If you don't, I'm sure Burrell will," he partially joked.

Tessa came back with their bills in hand and placed them next to their respective owner. "I'll be your cashier when you're ready. Can I take these plates out of your way?" she asked looking at Tim and Zito.

Zito motioned for her to grab his plate and Tim did the same, smiling at her. She came back to take their bills, almost choking when she saw how much tip they both gave her, and returned back.

"It was a pleasure serving you. Thank you for dining with us and have a nice night," she smiled.

Zito nodded at her and grabbed his phone and keys from his pocket as he walked towards the doors. Tim smirked and waited for Zito to be out of earshot.

"I'm sorry about my friend, he's not usually like that," Tim apologized.

Tessa wore a friendly smile and for the first time that night actually looked into his eyes. She noticed their green, almost hazel-like, appearance, which caused her to grin wider.

"It's fine really. Don't even worry about it."

"I'm Tim by the way," he said randomly, holding out his hand.

Tessa looked down at it and then back up at his face, thinking how strange this was and how strange the whole evening went. "Nice to meet you Tim," she almost laughed, shaking his hand.

Tim nodded his head and gave her a small wave good-bye. "Well um…see ya around."

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><p><strong>June 21, 2011<strong>

Emily and Tessa were sitting at one of the back tables in the closed section of the restaurant, eating their lunches before it opened for the day. They had been talking about the awkward encounter Tessa had with Emily's brother the night before and for the most part laughing about it.

"They don't call him 'Planet Zito' for nothing," Emily laughed. "But speaking of my brother, he texted me this morning telling me to invite you to his party tomorrow. I mean, I was gonna invite you anyways, but I guess he just wanted to make sure I did."

Tessa quickly chewed her food so she could speak. "A party?" she asked.

"Yeah, my brother likes to throw parties. Most of the Giants players will be there and some are single," Emily said wiggling her eyebrows.

Tessa chuckled at her actions. "I don't know. I have orientation the next day and I don't want to be late or make a bad impression with my advisor."

"Oh come on Tess, you haven't done anything fun since you've been here. All you do is work! Stay at least for an hour, then I'll drive you back to your place," Emily suggested.

It was true. All Tessa did was work, go home to her apartment, or walk Tuck at the park. Here she was, a twenty-one year old woman in one of the most exciting cities in the USA and she wasn't taking advantage of that.

"Okay fine, I'll go, but I'll drive myself so you don't have to leave to take me home."

"No-no, I'm driving us. It's hard to get to Barry's place. And I promise to get you home after one hour there. Promise," she repeated.

Tessa, for reasons unknown to her, agreed.


	3. IOU

**A/N: **In case you missed it, I posted links to character info on my profile page.

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><p>Tim sat in the dugout looking on as the bottom of the ninth was slowly coming to an end. The game had started off horrible – Bumgarner allowed eight runs in one inning; needless to say Bochy took him out (after finally getting one out) – and it stayed that way especially when the Twins homered to make the final score 9-2. The only good thing that happened today was Buster returning to the dugout since the collision. The Giants and the fans were especially happy to have him be present.<p>

"You're not allowed down here again," Mark DeRosa told Buster as the team made their way to the clubhouse.

The team cracked a few laughs here and there; Tim just chuckled to himself and shook his head. After they all entered the clubhouse, Bochy stood in the middle of the room and waited for everyone to take a seat or stand if they preferred.

Bochy grunted to clear his throat before he spoke. "All right boys, the first game of the series didn't go our way, but we still have two more games left, so let's keep our heads up. And it wouldn't hurt to have some run support," he added and waved for security to allow the media in.

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><p>Some of the guys were heading out for a late dinner, but all Tim wanted to do was go home and watch TV until he fell asleep. For some reason, he felt tired, and he was usually restless after a game. He thought it was due to the inaction of the game; the only exciting thing to happen was Whiteside's homerun in the seventh.<p>

Tim raked his fingers through his hair as he waited at a red light and noticed that he wasn't going his regular route home. It was like déjà vu; he recognized the street he was on and felt like he had just been there recently. As he approached another red light, he immediately realized where he was. He looked to his left and spotted the restaurant he and Zito had eaten at the night before.

He smiled and wondered if the girl, Tessa, was working that night and was even inclined to eat there just to see if she was, see her smile, and look into her blue eyes once more. His train of thought was interrupted quickly from the sound of a horn behind him. Tim looked up and saw the light had changed green at some point and waved an apology as he drove on.

Tim opened the door to his apartment and was greeted by a happy Cy. "Hey boy," he said bending down to pet the French bulldog and scratch behind his ear.

He dropped his bags by the door and plopped down on the couch while he turned on the television. Just as he felt his eyelids become heavy, his phone began to ring and saw he had a text message from Zito.

_She's coming to the party ;). You'll thank me one day. See ya tom._

Tim just smiled and let the sleep overcome him.

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><p><strong>June 22, 2011<strong>

Tessa had woken up actually excited about the party; all she had to do was get through her evening shift with Emily. It was a semi-busy night for the restaurant – a little slower than usual, but enough to keep busy. Emily and Tessa were working a party together and would be out of there as soon as the twelve people left.

"So what time does the party start again? Remember I can only stay an hour," Tessa asked.

"I know, I know. It starts at eleven since the game probably won't end 'til ten," Emily answered.

Tessa nodded her head. "You sure the clothes I brought will be okay for tonight?" she asked.

"Your outfit is perfect. I'm sure one of the single men will be all over you when we get there." Emily winked. "I know Burrell will," she whispered.

Tessa heard her whisper something, but could not hear what it was. "What did you say?"

Emily shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just excited for tonight. It's gonna be fun."

_I hope so_ Tessa thought as the two went back to check on their party. After a few more minutes, the people had finally left, which meant Emily and Tessa's shift was over for the night. They collected their tips and the bills and hurriedly exited the restaurant, making their way to Emily's car.

"Hey can you turn the radio to KNBR?" Emily asked, but she saw Tessa give her a baffled look. "Just press the _AM_ button," Emily directed.

There were a few static moments, but a few seconds in a voice became clearer as were his words. "And that's the ball game. Vogelsong with the win, Wilson with another save and the Giants win the second game of the series five to one."

"Man, I was hoping to at least catch the eighth, but at least we got the win. Yesterday was pretty bad," Emily said as they continued driving.

"So what position does your brother play?" Tessa asked.

"He's a pitcher, was a starter, but was put on the DL. He'll hopefully be pitching again soon," Emily said optimistically.

Tessa could relate herself to Emily, in that her brother was also a pitcher and always hoped for a better outcome for her brother when he pitched. No one knew she was Clayton Kershaw's younger sister, that he was her brother. She wasn't sure how people would react if they found out or how they would treat her. For now she would keep that bit of information to herself.

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><p>"So anyone I should stay away from or be aware of?" Tessa asked as they drove to Barry's house.<p>

"If I knew for certain who would be there I could to tell you, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. They're all great guys; I'm sure one of them will stick out to you."

Tessa couldn't believe her eyes when they arrived at Zito's; her eyes gazed up at the enormous house as they walked towards the front door. She finally composed herself, letting the amazement flow out of her system and remained calmed as the door opened.

"Hey bro," Emily greeted giving her brother a hug after they walked inside. "You remember my friend Tessa from the other night I'm sure. You were giving her a bit of a hard time in my absence," she joked.

Tessa smiled and waved a little. Now that Barry and Emily were standing right next to each other it was easier to see their family resemblance. Zito half smiled and said "hi" to her and closed the door behind them. They were only twenty minutes late and there were already a lot of people at the party.

"Well, go mingle little Tessa," Emily said pushing her towards the crowded room.

"By myself? Where are you going?" Tessa asked a little scared.

"Yes by yourself. I'm gonna go get drinks. I'll catch up with you in a bit," Emily said walking towards the kitchen.

Tessa looked around and didn't know what to do. Everyone was engaged in conversation and drinking; she felt that if she were to approach anyone, she'd be invading. Feeling like there was nowhere for her to go, she took a seat on the couch and started to observe everyone.

There were two couples in one the corner, laughing, and talking amongst themselves. One of the men had a goatee and answered to the name "Vogey"; he stood next to a pretty brunette, whom Tessa figured was his significant other. The other man had wavy brown hair and could've sworn someone called him "Uncle Jesse"; he stood next to a short woman with blondish hair.

Tessa turned her direction to the balcony, where the music was the playing and people were dancing, when she heard a group of people cheering on a couple of men having a dance-off. Some chanted "Romo! Romo!" and the other half chanted "Pablo! Pablo!" She couldn't help but laugh to herself as she continued to watch the men show off their dance moves. After roaming her eyes around the room for something new to observe, she decided to get up and get a drink, only to bump into someone on her way.

Tim had arrived a few minutes after everyone else had, always being a little fashionably late to these things. Once inside, he noticed she was there, awkwardly smiling and fidgeting with her fingers as she talked to, who looked like it from behind, Burrell. Zito was right, but he should've known Pat would be the one to go after her. An idea sparked and he made his way to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of drinks, then headed back to where Pat and Tessa were.

"Hey, I got your drink. Sorry for taking so long," Tim said handing her the cold wine cooler.

She looked up at him confused and startled by his approach. She hesitantly took the drink and gave him a gracious smile.

"Pat, I see you've met my date Tessa," Tim said as he stood next to her and placed his arm around her waist.

Burrell seemed surprised, but smiled at the couple. "Your date? I didn't know that. I was just telling her she needs to come to more of Zito's parties."

"Burrell! Get your ass over here and show these kids how to chug beer with the funnel," Huff yelled across the room.

"Well, seems like I'm needed. You two have fun," Pat said patting Tim on his chest as he walked towards Huff.

When Burrell was out of sight, Tim removed his arm from Tessa's waist. "Sorry," he apologized and half smiled.

Tessa shook her head. "It's fine. I should be thanking you…for saving me. I never know what to say in those situations. Plus he seemed like a nice guy," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"He is; he's just a horn-dog sometimes." He shrugged his shoulders.

He made her laugh and that caused him to grin even wider. "Um…so, how do you know my name?"

Tim didn't know whether his ego or confidence level suffered the blow the most, but either way they were both low at that point. "You don't remember me do you?" he asked, a little hurt.

Tessa's facial expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry, it's just that I see so many people throughout the week and I have a hard time remembering where I saw them from."

"You were our waitress the other night. Mine and Zito's. I'm Tim."

Tessa dug through her memory and saw his face, remembering him from Monday night. "Oh, yeah, I do remember you now. You look different though. Your hair was pulled back into a ponytail," she recalled.

Tim ran his fingers through his hair and smiled. "Yeah, I don't usually wear it like that. This is how it's normally worn."

"I like this look. Not many guys can pull it off, but you can," she complimented.

What was it about this girl that had Tim wanting to know more? He didn't understand it. They had barely met and barely talked to each other for that matter. But the big question he had to ask himself was whether or not he was ready to know more about her. There was still this fear that if he did, in the end he'd get hurt.

"Oh crap." Tim heard her say in a low tone.

"What? Is something wrong?" he asked.

Tessa looked at the clock and had noticed they had been there for an hour and a half. "It's just that I have to go. Have you seen Emily?"

"She's gone," Tim said, remembering he had seen her in the kitchen almost passed out from drinking.

Tessa's eyes widened. "Gone? But she was my ride home."

"No, I don't mean literally. She's in the kitchen and actually pretty wasted. I doubt she'll be able to drive you home," Tim explained.

"Oh. You wouldn't happen to know the number to a cab company would you?" she asked, hopeful he would.

"You know what? I was just about to leave myself. I'm starting tomorrow and it's an early game. I can take you home if you want," he offered.

She smiled and he liked it when she smiled. "Really?" Tim nodded. "Yeah, that would be nice. Thanks. I'm just gonna go tell Emily that I'm leaving," she said walking towards the kitchen.

Tim went to find Zito to tell him he was already leaving. "Hey Z, I'm gonna head out."

"All right dude. Are you sure? You just got here," Zito said before taking a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, I need some rest before the game." Tim turned his head to the side and saw Tessa waiting by the door for him.

"Oh I get it. I thought you weren't gonna hook up with her?" Zito questioned with a devious smirk on his face.

Tim rolled his eyes. "I'm not. Just taking her home."

Zito nudged Tim in the chest and winked at him. "Whatever you say dude."

* * *

><p>The car ride to Tessa's apartment had been fairly quiet. Tim would bust out singing at random times when a song came on. Tessa did her best not to laugh, not because he was a horrible singer (in fact she thought he sang well), but because it came out of nowhere. There were a few moments when she hummed the tune.<p>

"Join in anytime you want," Tim said when he heard her hum.

She felt herself blush and shook her head. "I'll spare you the earache."

"So why did you have to leave early? If you don't mind me asking."

"I have orientation for school earlier today and I didn't want to wake up late or anything like that."

Tim nodded his head. "You nervous?" he asked.

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "Kinda. Half excited, half nervous. I'm sure it won't all that bad."

"Yeah, I'm sure it won't. I remember being really nervous about being a freshman in college. It's not so bad," he said remembering his first year in college.

Tessa laughed a little. "You think I'm a freshman?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him.

Tim turned his head to briefly look at her. "You're not?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm actually going into my first year as a grad student."

"At eighteen!" he asked, astounded about how young she was entering graduate school.

"I'm not eighteen. I'm twenty-one. What made you think that?" she asked wondering who his sources were.

"It's just that Zito mentioned you coming here for school, so we kinda assumed you were an eighteen year old freshman. But even twenty-one is young for grad school…isn't it?"

"It helps when you graduate a year early." Before Tim could say something else, Tessa pointed to the dimly lit apartment complex. "Here's fine," she told him as he parked.

They both began to unbuckle their seatbelts and Tessa looked in Tim's direction. "Oh you don't have to get down. I'll be fine."

"I'd feel better if I walked you to your door."

She smiled and got out of the car and waited for Tim. She thought he was really sweet to make sure she got to her apartment okay. They started walking towards her place, staying silent on the way. When they reached the door they stood in front of each other, not really knowing what to say.

Tessa bit her bottom lip and looked into Tim's eyes remembering their green, hazel-like appearance. "Thanks. I really appreciate it," she smiled.

"No problem. Who knows when you would've gotten a cab," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"I feel like I should owe you something. Can I buy you coffee or lunch or something? I really feel bad not giving you anything in return."

Tim was a bit surprised. No one had ever offered to do him anything in return. He was always the giving person and didn't expect anyone to repay him back.

"Uh…sure. That'd be cool. How about after my game tomorrow? You free after four?" he asked.

Tessa grabbed her phone, looking through her calendar, making sure she had nothing planned for that time. "Sounds perfect."

Tim grabbed his phone and then took her phone, handing her his at the same time. Tessa was a bit confused by his actions, but after seeing him type information in her phone she got the idea and put her number in his.

"Just in case something comes up, I don't wanna be left hanging," Tim joked as he handed her back her phone.

She laughed as she gave him his phone and started grabbed her keys from her purse. "Well thanks again and good luck tomorrow. Oh and you should probably pick the place, since I have no idea what's good around here."

"Sure thing and I'll text you," he said as they both waved good-bye to each other.

Tessa had something else to look forward to tomorrow and so did Tim.


	4. Looking Past the Beard

**June 23, 2011**

Tim placed his messenger bag over his shoulder, grabbed his keys, and called Cy so they could head over to the park. It was the last game of the Twin series and it was Tim's day to pitch. His last couple of starts weren't his greatest and he was ready to get his pitching back to its normal rhythm. He opened the car door and allowed Cy to jump in and cross over the passenger side. As he got in, he pulled his cell phone out of his bag, opened up his text messages and stared at the one he was going to send to Tessa.

_Hey, it's Tim. If you're not busy around noon, you should come to the game today._

After rereading the message, he quickly deleted it thinking he sounded too eager – especially since they would be having dinner after the game. He tossed his phone to the side, started his car, and headed for the stadium.

It was another cool and sunny day; Tim decided to roll down the window so Cy could stick his head out and enjoy the ride. There were people already on their way to the game; and those walking down the sidewalk would stop and wave or take pictures of Tim driving towards the park. He would smile shyly and wave back, still getting used to being well known around the bay area.

He noticed that Ross was in front of him as they drove into the parking garage and waited for Tim so they could walk into the clubhouse together.

Cody waved as Tim got out of the car and walked over to him and Cy. "Hey Timmy," Cody smiled.

When Cody smiled you couldn't help but smile back; he was the optimist of the team and if he had any doubts, you couldn't tell one bit.

"Hey Cody, how's it going?" Tim asked as they made their way to the clubhouse.

"It's going great, thanks. You ready for your start today?" Cody asked as he held the door for Tim and Cy.

"You know it," Tim responded with a smile and Cody chuckled as he patted Tim's shoulder.

* * *

><p>Tessa looked upon AT&amp;T Park wide eyed and amazed. It had been a couple of years since she had been to the stadium and she forgotten how much it took her breath away. She smiled as she entered the park and marveled at the field.<p>

"Tessa," she heard her advisor call and saw him motioning for her to follow him. "This way. You'll be spending most of your time in here," he said as they walked into the clubhouse.

She had been in the Dodger's clubhouse before so the smell was nothing new to her, but the atmosphere in the Giants' was different for some reason. There were motivational posters and funny signs on the walls to lighten the mood for the players and staff.

"Wait right here, I'll be back in a minute," her advisor said as he knocked on a door that said _Bruce Bochy_.

He walked in and close door behind him as she stood in the middle of the hallway roaming her eyes around her surroundings. She saw, who she believed to be, baseball players who just arrived to the ballpark, walk into what she guessed was the locker room. As the door opened she heard music playing and the men laughing; at that moment she knew for certain it was the locker room. Tessa ran her hand up and down her arm, feeling a bit uncomfortable as some of the players gawked at her as they passed by.

After a couple of more guys passed her, she heard a familiar voice call her name. "Tessa?" She turned around and found herself smiling as the lanky pitcher came walking towards her.

"Hey Tim," she said still smiling.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had your orientation this morning," he asked confusedly.

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "It was, but my advisor brought me here and I have no idea why," she responded.

"What exactly are you studying anyways?"

"Oh, I'm studying spor-" she was started to stay, but before she could give him a complete answer, she was interrupted.

"Hey! Big Time Timmy Jim!" yelled none other than Brian Wilson, the Giants' closer.

Tim looked passed Tessa and smiled as the bearded man came towards them. If Tim wasn't hanging out with Zito, he could usually be found with Brian.

"Sup B," Tim answered back.

Brian stopped next to Tessa and looked at Tim then back at her. "Who you talking to here?" he asked taking a small glance towards Tim.

Tessa completely turned her head so she could see Brian fully. She gave him a friendly smile and watched his curious face transform into a happy one as he showed off a half-smile. It was hard to miss the bushy beard growing around his face, but it wasn't the first thing she noticed about him – it was his blue eyes and then the freckles on his nose and cheeks. Tim couldn't help but feel out of place.

"Wow. Your ocean blues are as deep as mine," Brian said as he stared into her eyes.

Tessa could feel herself blush and chuckled a little at Brian's compliment. "That's the first time I've heard that one," she told him.

"Well, I'm glad to be the first one to tell you."

She continued to smile. "And who is this guy that told me?" she asked.

"I'm Brian. Brian Wilson. B-dubs or B-Weezy. Whichever you prefer," he answered with a sly smile. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Tessa. Tessa K-" she began, but stopped herself immediately realizing they'd figure out she was Clayton's sister. "Um, Tessa Shaw," she fibbed.

The door to Bochy's office opened and he and Tessa' advisor walked out, both staring at the three.

"Willy, Tim, is there a problem?" Bruce asked the pair, looking back from one to the other.

"Nope, not at all Boch," Brian answered.

"All right then, stop your flirting with the new intern and get both your asses out on the field. Go on," he said shooing Brian and Tim towards the locker room.

Brian winked at Tessa, causing her to blush even more. Tim smiled a little and waved at her as he and Brian made their way down to the locker room. He took one last look behind him and met Tessa's gaze, and saw her keep a friendly grin, making Tim half-smile.

She watched the two disappear behind the double doors and turned back to Bochy and her advisor. "Did you just say new intern?"

* * *

><p>It was ten minutes until game time and the stadium seats were filling up as it got closer to the first pitch. Tim looked on from the dugout and watched as the field team did last minute watering and raking. He sat quietly by himself, hearing conversations from the other guys, but tried to tune them out by singing a song in his head. He ran his fingers through his hair before placing his cap back on and got up to get a drink from the cooler. As he threw his cup away, he looked up and saw Tessa peer through the clubhouse door. He smiled and waved for her to come out.<p>

"Hey. Are you staying for the game?" he asked hopeful the answer would be yes.

She frowned and shook her head. "I can't. I have work. I just came to wish you good luck."

Tim nodded his head understandably and was glad he didn't send her that text earlier. "Oh," he answered disappointedly. "Maybe another time." Tessa nodded her head and smiled. "But thanks for wishing me luck. I appreciate it."

"No problem. And I won't' be watching from too far away." Tim looked at her with confusion written across his face; Tessa just chuckled and waved good-bye. "I'll see you later today," she said as she walked into the clubhouse.

Stewart, the catcher called up after Buster's injury, patted Tim on the shoulder to snap him away from his thoughts. "Let's go Tim, game time."

Tim nodded his head, grabbed his glove, and led his team onto the field as "Electric Feel" played around the stadium.


	5. Just Friends

Tim placed his gloved hand on his hip and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand – ball securely in it. He stared out into the seats and saw the crowd stand and cheer as the last out of the seventh inning was in his hands. He turned his attention back to the batter, placing the ball behind his back and looking at Chris Stewart who was throwing down a couple of signs. It was a full count and he knew this pitch had to make the batter swing and miss.

When Tim found the pitch he wanted, he subtly nodded his head and began his wind up. He felt the ball leave the tips of his fingers and watched as it glided toward the batter. The crowd's cheering turned into an uproar as the ball landed in Stewart's glove and the batter swung and missed. Tim inhaled and exhaled in relief as he walked off the field, knowing that would be it for him, hoping his team would sustain the 1-0 lead. As he entered the dugout, he placed his glove on the bench and removed his cap to let the cool air hit his damp hair. He earned a few pats on the back and "good job" comments from his teammates and coaches as he made his way to grab a red bull. He earned it after fanning twelve batters.

"Glad to see you've come out of your rut," Zito said, as he took a seat next to Tim.

Tim smiled, realizing he was right. "Yeah, I guess I have huh?" he answered back.

Barry chuckled and continued chewing his gum, something he'd been trying out to stop chewing tobacco. "I wonder why that is…," he said teasingly.

Tim knew where the conversation was going and thought it was the perfect time to check on his dog. "I'm gonna go make sure Cy's okay," Tim said as he started to get up.

"Hey, can you grab my sunflower seeds from my locker? This gum just isn't doing it," Zito asked, spitting out his gum right after.

Tim nodded his head as he got up. He walked down the empty hallway that led to the locker room and gently pushed the clubhouse door open. The TVs around the room were on even though no one was there watching them, which made the room feel less empty than it was. He headed towards his corner locker where he expected to find Cy sleeping in his dog bed; however he was nowhere to be found.

"Cy!" Tim yelled, hoping the dog was sleeping elsewhere and would beckon at his call.

When that didn't happen, Tim grew worried and frantically searched in every nook and cranny of the locker room. "Cy!" he called one last time before heading down the opposite hallway where the offices where. He saw a light coming from one of the rooms and jogged his way towards it hoping the person there had seen his dog.

"Excuse me have you -." He stopped midsentence and felt his heart pulsating more than it did when he couldn't find Cy.

Tessa looked up at him in surprise, but quickly put on a smile after seeing it was him, setting down her pen and settling back in her chair. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise."

Tim nodded his head automatically and slowly walked into the small office. He stood in front of her and she looked up at him, waiting for him to say something.

"I don't get it. You said you were working," he said, thinking back to their earlier conversation.

Tessa chuckled and readjusted herself in her seat. "I am working," she said, directing his attention to the papers scrawled across the desk.

Tim looked down at the papers and then back up at Tessa. Her eyes were on him and the corners of her lips were curled into a smile. There was something about the way she was staring that was so inviting, it made his heart pound.

He broke their gaze and shook his head in confusion. "I thought you meant you were working at the restaurant."

Tessa nodded her head understandably, thinking that was what he had initially thought. "I told you I wouldn't be watching from too far away," she said taking a quick glance up at the wall behind him.

Tim turned around and saw she was watching the game and thought it strange he hadn't noticed the television when he entered the office. Javier Lopez was on the mound and quickly took at the first batter. "So, you have been watching," he smiled before turning his head back to look at her.

She nodded her head and returned her attention to him. "I compromised. I muted the game so I could concentrate on my work, but look up every once in a while to check what was going on. Though, the last time I did check, you pitched out of a 3-2 count, which, considering you're standing in front of me now, was a while back."

Tim had heard her and was prepared to respond back when something caught his attention. He noticed just how blue her eyes really were with the lighting in the office. They were mesmerizing – clouding his thoughts. Tessa felt herself blush as Tim continued to stare at her with a goofy grin plastered on his face, wondering what was going through his mind.

She cleared her throat and watched as he came back to reality, trying her best to hold back a chuckle. A hint of red flushed across his cheeks as he ran his fingers through his lightly damp hair.

"Um…I'm looking forward to dinner later," she said trying to ease the awkwardness.

Tim was thankful she had and nodded his head. "Me too. Speaking of dinner, I uh picked a place. I hope you like Mexican food."

Tessa's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?" Tim's smile fell. "I _love_ Mexican food. It's what I grew up eating," she added.

His smile returned and a flush of relief and a bit of curiosity washed over him. Tessa could tell she had peeked his interest.

"I know I don't look it, but I'm half Hispanic," she said, fidgeting with her fingers.

Tim felt like every time he and Tessa were together he learned something new about her and enjoyed finding out these new things. But what did she know about him other than he was a baseball player and he liked to sing aloud while driving in his car? Maybe it was time for him to open up and stop being afraid of getting close to someone.

So, he went with the simplest thing he could think of. "Well, I probably don't look it, but I'm half Filipino."

Tessa tilted her head, as if studying his face carefully. "I never would've guessed," she smiled.

Tim scratched the back of his head and suddenly felt shy. He looked down at the floor, noticing the dirt from his cleats and remembered that there was still a game going on. He quickly turned around and saw it was the bottom of the eighth, Cody Ross hitting in a run to make the score 2-0. Tim smiled internally and mentally thanked his team for maintaining the lead.

Tessa watched as he turned back to face her; his hair fell around his face and his eyes pierced through the tiny strands until he pushed them back. She waited for him to speak.

"I uh, I should get back out there," he said starting to walk toward the door.

"Wait!" Tim stopped midway through the door. "Did you need something? You kinda came in here looking frantic, like you had lost something."

Tim mentally face palmed himself. How could he suddenly forget why he had stumbled into her office? He shook his head. "Oh yeah. I was wondering if you had seen my dog Cy. He's a white French bulldog, but he -."

Tim stopped talking when he saw Tessa motioning with her finger to come closer. He furrowed his eyebrows together, wondering what she wanted to show him. A light trail of dry dirt stayed behind as Tim moved towards her. She placed a finger over her lips, warning him to stay quiet, and pointed down near her feet. Tim peered behind the desk and saw the sleeping dog lying down right next to her. He smiled, holding back a laugh, as one of Cy's ears twitched.

"He just waltzed right in a few minutes after I settled in here and then he fell asleep," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"He's knocked out. I can't believe he didn't wake up when he heard my voice," Tim replied, bending down to pet Cy. "I hope he wasn't a bother to you," he said, looking up at her, but still petting the dog.

Tessa moved her eyes to his, half smiled, and shook her head. "Not at all. He's such a good dog," she said leaning over to scratch the back of his ear.

Cy seemed to be enjoying the special attention he was getting, indicated from the grunt he gave when Tim scooped him up, disrupting the pleasant rubs he was getting from both of them. "Awe now, behave. That's why I bring your dog bed, so you can sleep in it," he told the grumpy dog.

"So uh, I'll pick you up around six?" he asked, standing up straight with Cy cuddled in his arms like a baby.

"Oh um, yeah, six is perfect."

The creases around the corner of his mouth appeared. "Great. I'll see you later then," he said before walking out the door.

* * *

><p>Tim was finally able to shower and get dressed after the reporters had left the locker room. He sat at his locker, packing his things in his bag before leaving. Majority of the guys were lounging around, catching replays from the game (which they had won 2-1, giving Tim the win).<p>

"And there goes the flying panda!" Huff laughed, pointing to the current replay of Sandoval stretching out to tag a guy out and falling in the process.

Pablo's laughter could be heard across the room, where his locker was, and soon his contagious laugh caused everyone else to join in. Tim was so busy laughing and watching the replay he never noticed Brian walk up next to him.

"Hey, nice save today," Tim complimented as Brian sat in the chair next to Tim's.

"Thanks. Just doing my job." Brian licked his lips, his tongue catching a few hairs of his growing beard. "So, uh, how do you know that girl, Tessa?" he asked, keeping his tone polite, as to not sound rude.

"Um…she works with Zito's sister as a waitress and she was ours Monday night. Then she was at his party last night and I took her home…" he trailed off.

"So are you two an item now or just talking?" Brian questioned.

Tim gulped rather loudly. "No we're not an item or whatever. We're just…friends I guess."

"Cool. Anyways, I was thinking we could all go out to dinner tonight, show her she's part of our misfit family now that she works here. What do ya say? Whoever wants to come can come and I know the perfect restaurant we can go to," Brian suggested.

It sounded like a great idea, only problem was he and Tessa were supposed to have dinner that night. Tim eye's wandered in his locker, as if looking for an answer.

"Hey B, Kate and I will see ya later tonight at dinner," Nate said before exiting the clubhouse.

Tim turned to Brian who was grinning guiltily. "I may have already told the guys about dinner."

He figured they could always reschedule their dinner plans. He nodded his head, letting Brian know he'd be there. "Okay, I'm in. Just text me the time and place."

Brian patted Tim's shoulder and began to get up. "Awesome. I'll go tell her the good news."

Tim swallowed back the disappointment and subtly watched as Wilson made his way to where Tessa was, regretting telling him and Zito the reason for his long absence during the eighth inning.


	6. He's No Player

Tessa slowly opened her eyes, trying her best to stop them from drooping back down. Tucker's escalating barks managed to wake her up and she realized someone was knocking at the door. She opened it without seeing who it was and found a pair of blue eyes staring back at her.

A corner of Brian's lip lifted into a smile as he watched a frantic Tessa fix her messy hair and smooth out her shirt. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" he asked, fumbling with his car keys.

Tessa felt her cheeks burning, knowing they were probably red from embarrassment. She hadn't realized she slept for so long—exhausted from the party, waking up early, and being at the ballpark most of the day.

"Kinda. I mean no. I uh, I must've fallen asleep," she said, rubbing the side of her arm. Then she remembered he was there to pick her up for dinner. "Oh my gosh," she said placing her palm over her forehead. "Lemme just grab my purse and jacket real quick and we can leave," she said, disappearing into her apartment.

Brian chuckled to himself as he saw her running around her apartment looking for her belongings and thought he probably should have called or texted he was on his way.

Tessa quickly closed the door behind her and locked it before turning around with an apologetic smile. "Ready," she breathed out.

He let out a small laugh and held out his arm. "Shall we?"

She wrapped her arm around his bicep and smiled as they walked to Brian's car.

Tim looked at his phone for the time and thought it would've been him instead of Wilson picking up Tessa for dinner at that moment. He'd hopefully get that chance if she accepted a rain check. He turned off his television and patted Cy's head one last time before heading out. The restaurant wasn't too far from Tim's apartment, though he had never heard of it and thought Brian had probably taken a date there before.

When he arrived, the place was pretty packed; he hoped Brian had made a reservation or had come early so they wouldn't have to wait so long. However, there he saw some of his teammates, the ones who probably didn't have any dinner plans and wouldn't pass up an invitation to hang after a game.

They all greeted Tim as he took a seat next to Cody. "So uh, who else is coming?" Tim asked the group.

Crawford spoke up. "I think just Brian and his date." Tim frowned slightly at the word "date", not really liking the idea of Tessa being Brian's date. Tim managed a hushed "oh" to indicate he had heard Brandon.

After five minutes of waiting, their group was called to sit, but Brian and Tessa still hadn't shown up. Tim thought it was probably due to traffic and how far Brian had to go to pick her up. They all took their seats, leaving two empty across from Cody and Tim, and decided it wouldn't hurt to order their drinks. As soon as the waiter left, Tim spotted Brian and Tessa making their way to the table. He was telling her something that caused her to laugh; something he was good at doing, even if he didn't mean to.

"Sorry we're late," Brian apologized as they got the table.

"Traffic?" Nate asked.

Tessa shook her head. "No, it was my fault. Took a nap and didn't set an alarm, so I slept longer than I should have."

"I've done that before," Ross admitted, making everyone around the table to laugh.

Brian pulled the seat in front of Tim for Tessa and Tim couldn't help but keep his eyes on her as she settled in her seat. When she looked at him he didn't even try to avert his eyes in another direction, but simply smiled at her. A small, polite smile was all she offered him in return.

As their glasses and plates became emptier, their conversations started to die down as everyone felt the effects of a full stomach. Wilson rubbed his protruding belly and let out a satisfying sigh.

"God, that was some amazing food," Brian said and everyone agreed and thanked him for picking the place to eat.

Tessa excused herself and Tim did the same hoping he could talk to her, because not one word was exchanged between them throughout dinner.

"Hey, Tessa," Tim said before she got the restroom.

She turned around slowly and met his eyes with hers. "Hey," she said back.

"Are you mad at me for some reason?" He thought he would start with that.

"What? No, why would you say that?" she asked shaking her head.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It just seems like you are; at least back at the table it did. It was like you were ignoring me."

Tessa bit her bottom lip before speaking. "Well, maybe I was ignoring you, but I'm not really mad at you."

Tim lifted one of his eyebrows. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Look Tim, if you didn't wanna have dinner with me you should've just said so."

"What?" he asked confusedly.

"I mean, it would've been fine if you had just told me you didn't want to, but instead you had me thinking we were earlier in the clubhouse and then you had Brian come tell me about this group dinner that you had agreed to…"

Tim shook his head. "No, I did wanna have dinner with you. I still do. Brian had just sprung this thing on me last minute and I figured we could reschedule. I didn't mean to make it seem like I didn't want to."

Tessa's face softened and she suddenly felt embarrassed by her mini-outburst. "Oh," she whispered.

Tim smiled. "Since we're on the subject, are you free tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

She frowned a little and shook her head. "I'm working." Tim slumped his head a little in disappointment. "But if you want, um, does breakfast work for you?" she asked.

His head perked up a bit and gave it some thought. He wasn't much of a morning person and definitely liked to sleep in when they had a late game, but he figured she was worth it. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I always take my dog for a morning walk and grab breakfast tacos along the way. Maybe we can do something like that?"

"I like that idea. I know this great park to walk our dogs and there's this taco stand that has amazing tacos. How about I pick you up around nine? It's near your place so it wouldn't be a problem," he offered.

She considered his offer and nodded her head in agreement. "Okay," she smiled.

Tim smiled back. "Great! It's a da-." He stopped for a moment realizing what he was about to say. Tessa waited for him to finish, hanging on to his last words. "Um…I should get back to the others," he said quickly before walking back to the table.

Tessa watched as he walked away and sighed to herself before entering the women's restroom. Upon returning, she saw everyone putting on their jackets, getting ready to leave.

She walked up to Brian with a confused expression. "Why is everyone leaving?" she asked in a low tone.

Brian gave her a confused look back, but smiled at the same time. "Because we finished eating?"

"I figured that, but I mean, I didn't pay my bill." Brian almost looked offended when she said it.

"Don't worry about it. I invited you, so I paid for you. That's how I operate," he said, pushing back a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Tim took a subtle glance towards the pair and knew at that moment he shouldn't have. He saw the shy smile form on her lips and the redness rise to her cheeks as Brian took her hands in his and pulled them towards his lips, placing a peck on them. Tim continued to put on his jacket and then followed the others out of the restaurant.

"Tim!" He turned around to see Tessa trying to catch up to him. He didn't say anything, digging his hands into his jacket's pockets and waited for her to say something else. "Um, tomorrow right? At nine?"

"Right. Yeah tomorrow at nine. I'll be at your place." He was thankful she had reminded him, because he had completely forgotten about their breakfast outing.

Tim saw Brian walk up to them and hang his arm around Tessa's shoulders. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the night Timmy?" he asked, placing a toothpick in his mouth.

Tim shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing really, probably just head home and watch T.V. or something."

"Well Brian and I were going to watch a movie at my place, if you wanna join us?"

Tim didn't even need to look at Brian to know what to say. "No, it's okay. I'm actually pretty tired from the game. I'll catch you guys later," he said.

"See you tomorrow Timmy!" Brian said as Tim walked out the door.

The alarm on Tim's phone went off, causing him to groan in his sleep. He didn't understand why he'd set it so early when he didn't have to be at the field until four, but once he heard Cy bark he quickly rose out of bed remembering exactly why he had. He checked the time and noticed he had hit the snooze button more than once.

As he got into his car, he quickly sent a text to Tessa letting her know he would be a little late picking her up due to waking up late. He smiled when he read her reply.

_You too huh? No worries. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere =)_

He replied with an "I'll be there soon", rolled down the window for Cy, and started for her apartment. Traffic wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be and arrived at her place in twenty five minutes, making him only ten minutes late.

Tim rang the doorbell and smiled down at Cy as they waited for Tessa. Both of their heads perked up when they heard the door being opened. Tessa smiled at the pair as she finished putting her hair in a ponytail.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," Tim replied back.

"Lemme just put Tuck on his leash and we'll be on our way," she said walking backwards into her living room. "You can come in if you want," Tim heard her shout.

He hesitated, but finally stepped inside and felt the immediate warmth surround him. His eyes wandered around her apartment, jumping for knick-knack to kick-knack, and the pictures in the room. When he got to the other end of it he jumped back a little seeing Tessa's cat, staring back at him from the couch.

"Oh, you have a cat too?" he asked, raising his voice.

Tessa emerged from her bedroom with a happy corgi pulling her forward. "Yeah, that's Momo. Oh no. Are you allergic?" she asked worriedly.

Tim shook his head. "No, it's just that cats don't seem to like me very much."

Tessa scratched behind the cat's ear and under his chin and looked at Tim. "Oh. Well Momo's very sweet…most of the time. I bet he'd like you," she smiled. She finished petting the cat and grabbed her jacket. "Ready when you are."

Tim finished placing the leash on Cy and covered his head with his hoodie; while Tessa reattached Tuck's leash. There weren't many people at the park, something Tim was grateful for, which would make it easier to walk to their dogs.

"What's with the hoodie? Cold or don't want anyone to recognize you?" Tessa asked as she walked up to Tim.

He laughed. "A little of both."

They started walking, letting their dogs lead the way. "So, what movie did you guys end up watching?" Tim asked, trying not to sound too curious.

"Um, it was Mr. Deeds. But we barely got halfway through it before I ended up falling asleep. I felt so bad. He had to wake me up so he could leave."

Tim was kind of glad it didn't go beyond that. "I'm surprised he left you off the hook for that."

"Well, he did ask me out," she said in a low tone.

Tim turned his head in her direction. "Really?" he asked surprisingly.

She nodded her head. "Yeah. Which, speaking of, I wanted to ask you something and I'm sorry if this puts you on the spot, but I figured you would give me an honest answer."

"Shoot."

"Brian. He's…he's not a player is he?"

Tim gave her a look like he wasn't quite sure what she meant. "A player?" he asked.

They stopped at a nearby tree, while their dogs sniffed around it. "Yeah you know. _A player_."

It finally clicked for him. "Why did you agree to go out with him if you weren't sure?"

She shook her head. "I haven't yet. I told him I had to check my work schedule and I'd let him know later."

Tim nodded his head understandably. He wasn't too sure what to tell her, because he honestly didn't want to see her and Brian together again. The night before had proved how much he didn't like it. But, she wanted an answer about Brian's character. He knew Brian could be a player, but when he really liked a girl he was as monogamous as a swan. And as far as Tim could tell, Brian liked Tessa. So, Tim would put what little feelings he had for her aside.

"Oh. Well, he's no player. You should go out with him," he encouraged.

She noticed the faint smile on his lips and wondered what could be behind it. "Is there some other reason I shouldn't?"

The question caught him by surprise, like she was reading his mind. "Another reason?" She nodded her head. "No."


	7. It's Not Like That

Tim relaced his shoes before heading out for early batting practice. The locker room was slowly becoming empty as the other players started to head for the field. He noticed he was one of the last ones and hurriedly grabbed his glove and made his way towards the double doors that led to the dugout.

As he stepped onto the field, he placed his sunglasses on and walked towards to the outfield. There were already people in the stands, waiting along the rails for autographs, to talk to the players, take pictures, etc. He'd eventually make his way to them.

"Hey, Tim! Hold up!" he heard someone yell from behind.

He turned around to see it was Brian jogging his way towards him. "Hey. What's up?" Tim asked when Brian reached him.

"Tessa called me earlier. We're going on a date tomorrow after the game," Brian smirked as he put on his sunglasses.

Tim did his best to act surprised, since he already knew she would be calling Brian. "Really? That's great man. What are you planning to do?"

Brian readjusted his cap. "I have no clue. I don't wanna do the same old dinner date, since we kinda did that yesterday. So I'm just trying to come up with ideas. What would you do?" he asked Tim.

"What would I do?" Tim asked more to himself.

"Yeah. I mean you've talked to her. I'm sure something she's said would help figure out a date idea," Brian said hopefully.

Tim stretched his arm behind his back as he thought about it. Throughout the past few days he had gotten to know her, especially that morning. There was so much he could tell Brian about her, but he figured that was the point of their date – to get to know each other. But there was one thing Brian could use.

"A helicopter ride," Tim finally said as he stretched his other arm.

"Helicopter ride?" Brian questioned.

"Yeah. A helicopter ride over San Francisco," he said, smiling at the thought. "She told me how much she fell in love with the city when she visited it a couple of years back and how she would've loved to see more of it."

Brian rubbed the hairs of his beard, thinking carefully about what Tim said. "That may not be a bad idea. It's new. It's exciting. Something I could actually pull off."

"Go for it then. I'm sure she'd love it."

Brian smiled and nodded his head. "I think I will. I'll be back. Gonna make a quick phone call."

* * *

><p>"Why are you so tired? You've been yawning since you got to work," Emily asked.<p>

Tessa shook off a yawn as they made their way to her car. "Long day yesterday. Woke up early today. I tried taking a nap before coming in, but I felt more tired after that."

"Why did you wake up early today?"

"Um… Well, Tim and I walked our dogs together and then grabbed some breakfast," Tessa said as she started her car.

"Oh, really? You and Timmy, huh?" Emily said in a teasing tone.

Tessa looked in her direction and shook her head. "It wasn't like that. I bought him breakfast because I owed him for taking me home the night of your brother's party, since _someone _was passed out drunk."

Emily smirked. "Doesn't mean it couldn't be like that later. Besides, I think you and him would make a cute couple."

Tessa blushed at the thought, licking her lips before speaking. "That won't ever happen."

"And why not? Don't you like him?" Emily asked, eyeing her curiously.

"Well for one, I don't think he likes me like that; two, he just got out of a relationship; and three, I'm kinda seeing someone," she said, saying the latter in a quieter tone. "And of course I like him. He's a very nice guy. Very down-to-earth," she added.

"Okay. One, I think he does like you like that; two, he'll get over it. Lisa was not the one for him. And three, what do you mean you're seeing someone?"

Tessa rolled her eyes as she put her car in park. She didn't answer right away, figuring she'd explain everything over the glass of wine Emily had invited her over for. "I'll tell you when we get inside," she said, following Emily towards her apartment.

It only took half a glass of wine to tell Emily everything. About what Tim did at the party for her, taking her home, making plans to have dinner, and so on and so on, and finally ended with Brian asking her out.

"You and Brian?" Emily exclaimed when Tessa finished speaking.

Tessa took a long gulp of her wine, finishing it completely. "What's wrong with that?" she asked, setting down the glass.

Emily made a strange face before finishing her wine. "I just…I just never thought you two…I don't know. I guess I never pegged you as Brian's type and vice versa."

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "Me either, but he's really sweet and funny. I just thought 'why not?' Could be fun right?"

She heard Emily chuckle softly. "With Brian? Oh yeah, you'll have fun. But I still like the thought of you and Timmy."

Tessa looked at the time and got up from her seat, thinking it was time she headed home. "Well, like I said, it isn't going to happen," she said, placing her glass in the sink.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Emily said as she got up from her seat to walk Tessa to the door. "Anyways, thanks for hanging with me for a bit."

Tessa gave Emily a quick hug. "Thanks for inviting me," she replied, giving her a friendly smile.

"No problem. And have fun on your date tomorrow!"

"I will!" Tessa said as she waved back at Emily.

Just as she reached her car, she received a text message and saw it was from Brian.

_Really looking forward to our date tomorrow. It's going to be fun. I think you're going to love it._

* * *

><p>Tim noticed Brian's face light up when he checked his phone. "Who sent you their nudes?" he joked before taking a sip of his beer. He had invited Brian and Zito over for a couple of beers, even though they had an early game the next day.<p>

Brian laughed at Tim's question and shook his head. "Oh, Timothy. No, it's not nudes, just a text message from a cute girl," he said as he texted back.

Tim knew exactly who that cute girl was. "You didn't tell her what you're doing did you?" he asked.

Brian guzzled down the last bit of his beer before answering. "No, of course not. I want it to be a surprise. I just told her I was excited for tomorrow." Tim nodded his head and finished his beer.

"Excited for what?" Barry asked as he came back from the restroom.

"My date," Brian responded as he got up from his chair. "Anyways, I should get going. I'll see you guys tomorrow," he said, putting on his jacket and then headed for the door.

"Bye," Barry and Tim said in unison.

Barry turned back to Tim, raising an eyebrow at him. "Brian has a date?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, he's taking her on a helicopter ride around the city," he said, tossing his bottle into the trash.

"Nice. Who's the lucky girl?" Zito asked as he plopped down on the couch, setting his beer on the coffee table.

"It's um…It's Tessa, Emily's coworker," Tim replied, taking a seat next to Barry.

"You've got to be shitting me. Brian and her? How did…? What? I thought you and her… I thought you had a thing for her?" Zito finally muttered out.

"I'm not kidding. He's really taking her out. And I never said there was a thing between us. It's not like that," Tim assured him.

Zito gave him a skeptical look and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. But don't go moping around and pitching horribly when you realize that you _do_ have a thing for her after her and Wilson become official."

Tim laughed off Zito's comments and shook his head. "Not gonna happen."


	8. Convinced

**June 25, 2011**

Tessa woke up early for her date with Brian. She didn't know where he would be taking her at eight in the morning, but she had to admit, she was excited for whatever he had planned. As she finished getting ready she heard her phone go off and saw it was her brother.

"Hey, Clayton," she said cheerfully.

"Hey, Tess. How's my baby sister doing?" he asked.

She made her way towards the kitchen to make herself some toast with butter and jelly. "I'm doing great. Everything's been going just fine," she said honestly.

Clayton knew she wasn't telling him something by the tone of her voice. "Why? What are you up to?" he asked suspiciously.

Tessa bit her bottom lip. "Nothing," she laughed. "I'm just finally settling into this city. I've met some nice people, made great friends, work has been going well, and I think I'm going to have a fun semester in grad school," she said smiling.

"Okay," he said, almost not convinced. "Glad to hear everything has been going well for you over there."

"Thanks," she said before taking a bite of her toast. "I saw y'all lost yesterday. I hope y'all get a win today and tomorrow since you pitch," she said, muffled by the food in her mouth.

"You know your big bro has got it locked down for tomorrow." She rolled her eyes at his statement. "Oh, hold up, Elle wants to talk to you. But, I'll talk to you later. Love ya," he said, handing the phone over to Ellen.

"Hello?" Ellen answered.

"Hey, Elle!" Tessa replied back excitedly.

"Tess! I miss you so much!

Tessa laughed. "I miss you too. I wish I had time to go visit, but my schedule is pretty hectic right now."

Ellen sighed. "I'm sure we'll be up there soon when the Dodgers play the Giants and we can have dinner or something. I know you're super busy. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be getting ready for your date right now?"

Tessa blushed a little. "Elle! Not so loud. Clayton might hear you. I don't want him to know I'm seeing someone yet."

"Oh, he's in the shower. Don't worry he doesn't know anything. Now, what on Earth is this guy doing taking you out this early in the morning?" she asked.

It was a question Tessa had been pondering on since Brian had told her about the date, but at the same time she didn't want to know – she liked the thrill of the surprise.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay, well, let me know what he does! I'll talk to you later sweetie. Have fun," Ellen said before hanging up.

"I will. Bye," Tessa answered, pressing the end call button.

After finishing her breakfast and feeding her pets, Tessa put on her shoes and sat on her couch. She stared idly at her television, rethinking getting cable, but the thought always got chased away when her bills came in. She could always catch something online was her reasoning.

As she was about to get online, she heard a low knock at her door. She turned her head towards the door, wondering who it could be. She peeked through the peephole and saw no one. She slowly opened the door and frowned, figuring that someone was playing ding-dong ditch on her.

"Tessa! Hold up!" she heard as she was closing the door and saw that Brian was running towards her.

His breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. Tessa smiled at him and invited him inside. "You okay there?" she asked with a small laugh.

He let out a long breath and nodded his head. "I just went back to my car to grab this for you," he said, pulling out a beautiful red hibiscus flower from behind his back.

Tessa gasped a little. Hibiscuses were her favorite type of flower and she didn't know how he knew. "Thank you so much," she said, taking it from him. "How did you know I love these?" she asked curiously.

"A little birdy told me," he said.

Immediately, she knew it was Tim. On their morning walk, she spotted some in the park and commented on how they were her favorite.

"_Oh, my gosh!" she squealed._

_Tim and the dogs looked at her with concern. Tessa quickly walked toward the beautiful bush of hibiscus flowers, bending down in front of it and gently gliding her fingers against their soft petals._

"_Like them?" she heard Tim ask from behind her._

_She nodded her head and stood up, turning towards him. "They're my favorite," she smiled._

_Tim handed her Cy's leash before he bent down and pulled one of the flowers out. He placed it behind her right ear and smiled at her. "A pretty flower for a pretty woman." She blushed and thanked him._

Tessa placed the flower in a tall glass of water and sat it down on her kitchen table. "I didn't know you were on your way," she said after smelling the flower.

"I know. I'm sorry. I had sent you a text and I just checked my phone and saw it never went through," he frowned. "Crappy service," he muttered, but then he looked at her and his facial expression brightened. "So, you ready?" he asked excitedly.

She nodded her head. "Lemme just grab my purse," she said, walking towards the kitchen table.

Brian gently grabbed her wrist and shook her index finger at her. "No, no. You won't be needing your purse. I have everything covered," she smiled.

She eyed him curiously. "You sure?" He nodded his head in response. She shrugged her shoulders and went to grab her phone and keys. "Be back soon guys," she told her cat and dog as they left her apartment.

"Here, put this on," Brian told her as he tossed a blue bandana on her lap.

She picked it up cautiously. "You want me to be blindfolded?"

Brian laughed as he started the car. "I'm not gonna kidnap you or anything like that. I just want it to be a surprise."

She complied and wrapped the bandana over her eyes and tied it around her head. "I'm excited," she beamed.

"Good," he said, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

* * *

><p>"When are you going to tell me about your date with Brian? I want details!" Emily said as they she drove them to her brother's house.<p>

She turned her head towards the window and watched the lights of the city swift by. "Why are we going to your brother's house for dinner?"

Emily rolled her eyes at Tessa's avoidance of her question. "He likes to cook and invited us and others over for dinner. I don't know, I thought we already established my brother was weird. Now. What did you two do on your date!"

Tessa smirked at her friend's impatient backlash. "He took me on a helicopter ride around the whole city. It was absolutely amazing and I loved every minute of it," she smiled, remembering this morning perfectly.

"Wow. He did all of that for your date?" Tessa nodded. "Then, he must _really_ like you. I don't think he's ever done anything that extravagant for any of his dates."

Tessa blushed and smiled, feeling warmness swell her heart hearing that comment. "Yeah, he was really sweet too. He got me a hibiscus flower, my favorite, and blindfolded me until we got there. Afterwards, we had a nice breakfast and then he took me back home."

"Did he kiss you?" Emily asked eagerly.

Tessa laughed, but shook her head. "Not on the lips. I got a sense he was nervous about it. He just kissed my cheek."

"So, you really like him huh?"

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, I like him. He's a great guy. I think we'd need to go out more though. I feel like we don't know each other yet; like we haven't gotten a chance to talk."

Emily nodded her head understandably. "So, he just happened to know your favorite flower?"

"I think Tim told him. I think he may have even given him the idea to show me the city," Tessa confessed what she had been thinking since her date ended.

"Tim knew all those things?"

He did and she was more than sure he had told Brian those things. She and Tim talked a lot during their morning walk together and he actually listened to what she said.

"Yeah. I mentioned that those were my favorite flower and that I wished that I could see more of the city."

Emily parked by the side of Zito's house. There were two other cars already parked in his driveway – one Tessa recognized as Tim's.

"Now I'm convinced he has a thing for you," she told Tessa as she rang the doorbell.

Barry opened the door and greeted them as they entered. Tessa stopped in her tracks when she saw the scene in front of her. There was Tim sitting on one of the bar stools with a pretty blonde woman on his lap as they talked to Barry's fiancée, Amber.

Tessa leaned towards Emily and whispered, "Still convinced?"


	9. Disaster Dinner

Tim saw the hurt look on Tessa's face when she came over to where they were. The fake smile she wore hid a lot more than pain.

"Emily, it's nice to see you again," Amber said, walking around the counter to give Emily a hug. She looked past Emily and noticed Tessa. "And who's your friend? I don't think we've met," she asked, her gaze in Tessa's direction.

"Oh, this is my friend and coworker, Tessa," she introduced. "Tessa, this is my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Amber."

Tessa smiled and said hello, extending her hand out for Amber to shake. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Amber replied. "Em, you had me thinking you had finally brought home a date."

"Nope, besides Tess is kinda taken," Emily said, nudging Tessa's arm. "But I did hit on her when I trained her for work. She turned me down nicely though." Tessa couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

Emily's attention turned towards the blonde woman, who was now standing next to Tim. "And who's this?" she asked.

"Robin," the woman said, extending her hand.

"You're a friend of my brother's?" Emily asked, shaking her hand.

"Actually, she's my friend," Amber interjected. "I had been trying forever to set her and Tim up. And now that he's single and she isn't busy, I finally could," she said proudly.

"It's been long overdue. I had heard so much about the "oh, so famous Tim Lincecum", it was nice to finally meet him," Robin said, looking back at Tim with a smile.

Tessa rolled her eyes out of habit and gazed her attention to Barry cooking. She thought maybe could help – quicken the cooking process. The sooner dinner was ready, the sooner they could eat, and the sooner they could leave.

Tim would glance in Tessa's direction, noticing she looked a little irritated. He too was starting to feel irritated or actually more uncomfortable of being the topic of conversation.

"Yo, Zito! What time man? I'm fucking starving dude," Tim shouted.

Emily and Tessa almost laughed at Robin's face when she heard Tim cuss. No one else seemed to mind.

"Such a potty mouth you have," she commented.

Barry laughed. "You have no idea. Tim will drop the F-bomb without any warning. He even said it on live television once," he said with a chuckle, remembering that night perfectly.

Dinner was taking a little long to cook, so Emily, Tessa, and Amber decided to help, leaving Tim and Robin to themselves. Every once in a while, Tessa would subtly glance at them, trying to assess the situation. They were either laughing or one of them would listen with a smile as the other spoke.

"Come and eat!" Zito yelled.

Amber had set up the table and helped Barry carry the food to it. Everything smelled delicious and looked tasty, though, Tessa had no idea what anything was.

"So, Tessa, Barry told me you had a date with Brian earlier. How was that?" Amber asked.

Tessa swallowed her food, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "It was fun," she smiled.

"I heard he took you on a helicopter ride around the city."

Tessa nodded her head, feeling flushed with embarrassment that the conversation was about her.

"Wow! A helicopter ride? Your boyfriend must really love you," Robin beamed.

Tessa's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. He's not my boyfriend. We're just…dating," she answered, hoping to clear the air.

"Oh, I see. But still, that was a sweet thing to do for a date."

Tessa had to agree. It was beyond sweet.

"Can I ask you something?" Amber asked. Tessa nodded. "Don't take this the wrong way, but the age difference doesn't bother you?"

The question came at a surprise. She really hadn't thought about their age difference that much. In fact, it didn't really bother her at all.

"Um… No, not really," she answered honestly, hoping that would end all conversations about her and Brian.

"It's just that, he's getting up there in age and-,"

"Oh, come on Amber! Brian's only twenty-nine. I'm thirty-three for crying out loud!" Barry interrupted.

"I understand that, but that's usually around the time men think about settling down. She's still young."

"How old are you sweetie?"

Tessa looked at Robin with disbelief; she couldn't believe she had just called her "sweetie" like she was a kid. "I'm twenty-one," she answered before shoving food into her mouth.

"You're still a baby! You must barely be a junior in college," Robin said.

Tessa tried to swallow fast to answer, but instead, Tim spoke up on her behalf. "She's actually going to be a first year grad student."

Everyone looked at Tim, who suddenly wished he hadn't said anything.

"How did you know that?" Robin asked.

"She told me… Look, why does it even matter if they're dating or not?" Tim asked with frustration.

"Because, Brian's a good friend and I don't want to see him get hurt or waste his time," Amber replied in a harsh tone.

Tessa didn't know why she felt embarrassed, but not wanting to hear anymore, she wiped her mouth her napkin and excused herself. She could hear Emily going at it with Amber saying things along the lines of "why were you such a bitch?" and "I'm never brining friends over here again."

Tessa went out to the front door and sat down on one of the steps. The air was cool and refreshing. It was all she needed in order to relax and calm down.

Was it so wrong to be dating someone who was eight years old than her? She didn't know if Brian was looking to settle down. She wasn't in a hurry, but if she could see herself being with someone for a long time, she wouldn't rule it out.

She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a long sigh. Maybe she was better off not dating anyone.

"Hey, you okay?" she heard from behind.

She was startled, not even hearing the front door open. Tim laughed a little at her reaction. "Sorry, didn't meant to scare you," he said, taking a seat next to her.

Tessa gave him a weary smile, propping up her arms on her knees and resting her chin on them. She didn't know what to say.

"Don't let what Amber said get to you. If you wanna date someone who's older than you, then do it. As long as you two are happy…"

She looked at him. "It's not that. I don't mind dating someone older. Besides, six years isn't that much of an age gap."

"But you and Brian are eight years a part…" he said, mentally doing the math.

Tessa's cheeks flushed. She had been thinking about and Tim's age difference. "Right. I'm just sayin', six, seven, eight, doesn't matter. Ten might be pushing it though," she joked.

Luckily, Tim didn't get she had been referring to him. "So, you're okay right? You looked really upset when you left," he said, rubbing her back in a soothing and comforting way.

A tingling feeling accompanied by goose bumps ran through her body, which she attributed to the cool breeze.

She nodded her head. "I'm fine. I just got overwhelmed was all."

He nodded his head understandably. "I figured. I feel the same way. Especially during post-game interviews," he confessed.

"Really?" she asked in a surprising tone.

"Yeah. I don't really like talking to the media too much."

"Must be hectic sometimes," she said.

"You have no idea."

After a moment of silence, Tim stopped rubbing her back. She frowned at the loss of contact.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

He looked at her, smiling and nodding. "Would you ever date someone younger than you?"

He was caught off guard by her question and didn't know what to say. He had never dated someone that much younger than him. The two women he had been with the longest were just a few months younger than him. He never thought about dating someone was years younger. He had even declined hooking up with Tessa, thinking she was only eighteen. But not even that stopped him from developing feeling for her.

"I don't know. Depends on how much younger and if she were mature for her age," he answered. "But I'm not ready to date. I just need to focus on pitching and trying to help the team get to the playoffs."

Before Tessa could answer, the front door swung open and Robin appeared. "Hey, there you are!" she called out to Tim. "I gotta get going; mind walking me to my car?" she asked him.

He got up and left with Robin to the driveway. Tessa got up too and headed back inside, hoping Emily was ready to leave.

"Amber, just apologize," she heard Zito plead as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Fine!" she yelled back.

Tessa waited a minute before entering the room.

"Hey, I thought you might've started walking home," Emily said.

Tessa smiled and shook her head. "By the time I got there, the sun would be rising," she joked.

Barry cleared his throat and motioned his head towards Tessa. Amber rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Tessa. I just want to apologize for how I sounded earlier. I didn't mean to be rude."

Tessa figured she wouldn't apologize for what she said, so any apology was nice. "It's fine. Are you ready to go?" she asked Emily.

"Yes! Let's get the hell out of here before we hear another outburst," she said, grabbing Tessa's arm and pulling her towards the front door.

As they made their way towards Emily car, Tim started walking up the front steps. "Leaving already?" he asked.

Emily's phone rang and she excused herself, walking towards her car.

"Yeah. It's been a long day and all I wanna do is go home and sleep," Tessa admitted.

"Will you be at the game tomorrow?"

"I will actually. My advisor and I have things to go over for research."

Tim was confused. "Research? For school?" She nodded her head. "What are you studying?" he asked – a question that never got answered.

Emily honked her horn, telling Tessa to hurry up. She began walking over to the car. "Sport psychology!" she yelled. "Sorry, I'll see you later!"

"Bye!" she shouted back, waving goodbye.

Just as he walked through the front door, his phone buzzed. He grinned immediately .

_Thanks so much for everything tonight =) I felt so much better after we talked outside. You are a great person and friend._

He smiled while reading her text, but for some reason, the word "friend" struck a chord with him.


	10. Surprised Awkward Disappointed Happy

**A/N: Sorry, it's been a while. I've been a tad busy, but I've been reading your comments and I am thankful you guys are still reading and enjoying the story =) Oh and how 'bout those 2012 WS Champs?**

* * *

><p><strong>July 9, 2011<strong>

It was another chilly night game at AT&T Park. The Giants were up 3-1 at the top of the ninth and there were still people cheering in the crowd despite only needing two outs to win. Tessa and Emily sat in the front next to the Giants' dugout. As the next Mets player walked to the batter's box, Tessa tried to peer over to the side to see inside the dugout.

"Looking for someone?" Emily asked with a slight smirk as Tessa turned her attention back to the game.

"Brian. I guess he went inside the clubhouse," she said, settling back in her seat.

"Then who were you waving at?"

"Oh, Tim. He caught me looking in there and waved at me."

They returned their attention back to the game when Javier got the second out and giving the ball to Romo for the save. Romo got the third out and the save, giving the Giants and Tim a 3-1 win over the Mets. They headed towards the tunnel where the players came out of to leave the stadium. Emily waited for her brother and Tessa waited for Brian.

"You're coming to my brother's party tomorrow right?" Emily asked.

Tessa looked at her with an unsure expression. "I don't know…last time I went to your brother's place, I got yelled at."

Emily rolled her eyes and laughed. "No worries, Amber's visiting her parents in San Diego for the weekend. And she hates it when he has parties at their place, so he throws them when she's gone."

"Oh. Well, I guess. If Brian goes, I'll go."

"Don't tell me you're gonna be one of those girls…" Emily said crossing her arms.

"What are you talking about?" Tessa asked.

"The kind of girl who only goes to places with her boyfriend; or won't do anything or go anywhere without him."

"Firstly, Brian's not my boyfriend. And secondly, I am _not_ one of those girls. I already went solo to one of your brother's parties, I just think it'd be more fun if I went with Brian," she explained.

"Okay, okay. But if he doesn't go, I hope you'll still come. Though, I am more than sure he is."

After a couple of more minutes of waiting, Brian was the first to appear from the clubhouse. Tessa was surprised he came out so quickly.

"Hey, thanks for waiting for me. Ready to go?" he asked, tugging on the straps of his backpack.

Tessa smile and nodded and then told Emily goodbye. "You didn't skip out of talking to the media again did you?" she asked as they walked to the parking garage.

He laughed. "No, not tonight. Just wanted to get home early," he said quickening his pace.

They left the stadium and began the drive to Brian's apartment. "Are you hungry? I'm starving," he commented.

"Yeah, a little. I didn't eat a lot at the game," she answered back.

"How about we pick something up and eat at my place?"

"Sounds like plan."

* * *

><p>After a quick drive-thru pick up, they were at Brian's place. They ate and shared their food with each other and ended it all with sitting on his couch, petting their full stomachs.<p>

"So, Zito's having a party tomorrow and I wanted to know if you'd be my date for it," Brian asked, looking down at Tessa as she laid her head on his lap.

She looked up at him with a smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Awesome. I'll have the most gorgeous date there," he said, brushing his thumb against her cheek.

"You flatter me Wilson," she responded, getting up to give him a kiss.

Brian got up to clean up their eating area while Tessa stayed on the couch and played with Dubz, Wilson's dog. After a minute or two of cleaning up, Brian came back to the living room and sat down next to Tessa. She laid her head on his shoulder and yawned heavily.

"Someone's sleepy," he said, resting his arm around her shoulders.

"Long day," she yawned.

"Do you want me to take you home or…?" he asked, not really wanting her to leave.

"No, I wouldn't want you to have to drive me _all _the way back to my place. I'll just get a cab," she said getting up.

Brian gently grabbed her wrist and tugged her back down next to him. "You're not taking a cab this late. How 'bout you just stay the night?" he asked hesitantly.

Her eyes widened a little at his suggestion. _Did he really just ask me to stay over? _she thought.

When she didn't respond, he got up and quickly retracted his proposal. "Never mind, it was a hasty idea. Come on, I'll take you home," he said, walking towards his jacket and keys.

"No."

He turned around to look at her. "No?"

"I mean, I'd like to stay over," she smiled.

"Really? Are you sure?" She nodded and got up, walking towards him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and tiptoed to place a kiss on his lips. "We've been dating for a few weeks now and I think this was bound to happen soon."

"You think so?" he asked with a smirk.

"Mmhmm. Now come on, I wanna see how comfortable your bed is to sleep on," she said, pulling him along behind her.

"Oh, it's comfortable for more than just sleeping," he replied.

* * *

><p><strong>July 10, 2011<strong>

Tessa opened her eyes and realized she wasn't in her room back at her apartment. It took her awhile to figure out she was at Brian's place. She got up and stretched her arms and back and then ran her fingers through her messy hair.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty," Brian said, walking out of his bathroom.

"Morning," she replied back.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah. Very comfortable for sleeping," she said, smoothing out the comforter.

"Good to hear," he said, walking towards his closet to change shirts as soon as the doorbell rang. "Could you get that, please?"

She got up and walked towards the front door and forgot to see who it was before opening it.

"Tessa?"

"Tim!" she said, a little shocked he was there.

She suddenly realized all she was wearing was one of Brian's Celtic shirts and a pair of his boxers. She blushed and hid behind the door a little.

"Hey! Timmy! Come on in," Brian said, waving Tim in as he walked into the living room.

Tessa opened the door a little more for him to enter and then excused herself to go change.

"So, what brings you here so early in the morning?" Brian asked, grabbing water from the fridge.

"Cy woke me up early and I couldn't go back to sleep, so I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to go grab some breakfast. But I'm sorry if I interrupted anything; I didn't know she was here…" Tim said, scratching the back of his head.

"No worries dude. You didn't interrupt anything, she just stayed the night. As for breakfast, I wish, but I 'm actually meeting my agent in a bit, but I'm sure Tessa is hungry, you can ask her," Brian suggested.

"Ask me what?" Tessa asked as she walked into their conversation.

"Oh, Tim came by to see if we'd like to have breakfast, but I can't because of a meeting with my agent. I told him you might wanna join him though?"

She looked at Tim, who just gave her a small smile. "Um…sure. I could go for some breakfast, but I didn't bring my car. Would you mind giving me a ride back to my place?" she asked.

"I don't mind at all," he replied with a smile.

"You two have fun. I'll see you later?" Brian asked Tessa.

"Hmm…I won't be able to make it to the game –working, but I'll text you when I get out and see if you wanna do anything. Oh and Zito's party is tonight," she reminded him.

"That's right. Then I'll text you when I'm on my way to pick you up," he said, giving her a kiss – making Tim feel more uncomfortable than he already was.

Tessa and Tim made their way to his car and began the drive in silence to wherever Tim had planned on taking them to breakfast.

Most times Tessa was good in these types of situations, but this time the silence and awkwardness was killing her.

"So, um…How was your night?" she asked, brushing back a few strands of hair.

Tim took a quick glance at her and then back on the road. "It was okay. I just fell asleep watching T.V. like most nights."

"You do that too? My mom used to get so mad at me when I left the T.V. on. She'd come into my room during the night and say, 'Marisol! Por qué no apagar la televisión?'" she laughed.

"Marisol?" he asked, a little confused.

"Oh, yeah that's my middle name. When my mom would get mad at us, she'd use our middle names and when she was pissed, she'd use our full names," Tessa explained.

Tim smiled at her explanation and after a few more minutes of small talk, they arrived at the small café near the Fisherman's Wharf.

"Have you ever eaten here before?" Tessa asked as they got out of the car.

Tim shook his head. "No, my agent told me about it. Have you?"

"Yeah, a couple of years back when I visited. We stayed at the Holiday Inn across the street, so it was just a few steps away," she said as they walked towards the café.

"So, is it any good?" Tim asked.

"Oh, yeah. Very good. I had to beg my brother to let us come back the next day," she replied as they crossed the street.

"What do you get here then?"

She smirked at him. "You'll see," she said as she led the way inside.

* * *

><p>"Belgium waffles. I pegged you more as a pancakes kind of girl," Tim commented as he dug his fork in his food.<p>

"Usually I am, but these are too good to pass up. And I didn't see you as an omelet kind of guy," she commented back.

Tim laughed. "I'm not really a breakfast guy period. _If_ I wake up for it, I'll go for tacos."

Tessa stuck her fork full of waffles out towards Tim. "Here, try them. Maybe I can make you a waffle guy."

He looked at the food in front of him and then back at Tessa. "You're going to feed me?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this weird?" she asked.

But before she could retract her fork, Tim gently grabbed her wrist and pulled the food towards his mouth, taking a mouthful of waffles.

Tessa stared at him wide-eyed and jaw slightly open. She wasn't expecting him to do that. When Tim noticed her reaction, he quickly swallowed the food and began to frantically apologize.

"Sorry. Sorry. That was so rude. You probably didn't want me to just grab you and take a bite off your fork. I'm sorry," he repeated.

After a few seconds of silence, Tessa couldn't help but laugh. Tim smirked as he watched her –noticing things about her that he never knew before. Like how she tilted her head back right as she began to laugh; how she covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her laugh, only to move it away to reveal the dimples on the sides of her cheeks; and when she finished laughing, how he longed to hear it again.

"What's so funny?" he asked, after she regained her composure.

"Your face. I mean your reaction. You just seemed so terrified of what I'd do. But don't sweat it, I don't mind. I offered anyways," she said, taking a piece of her waffle with her fork and taking a bite and then smiled at Tim.

He smiled back and continued eating his omelet.

* * *

><p>After they finished paying, and as they walked back to Tim's car, Tessa's phone rang. She smiled when she saw it was Brian.<p>

"Hey," she answered.

Tim took a glance towards her and saw her smile had faded.

"Oh, really? That sucks," she said, bringing her thumb nail to her lips. "Yeah, no, I understand. I'll just see you when you get back." She put on a fake smile as if he were there in person. "Okay, have a safe drive. Bye," she said before hanging up.

Tim couldn't help but to wonder why she was suddenly sad. "You okay?" he asked as they got into his car.

Tessa looked up at him and gave him a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just Brian. He called to tell me he can't make it to Zito's party after all. Something about going to L.A. after the game," she sighed. "Guess I'm going to the party solo," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"Maybe you and I could go together? I mean, you were my date at Zito's last party, remember?" he smiled.

She laughed remembering that night and how it sparked their friendship. "That'd be nice. Thanks," she smiled.

"No problem. It's nice to see you smile again. You looked so disappointed when you got off the phone with Brian," he commented.

Tessa looked out the window as they continued to her apartment. "Yeah," she sighed, "I was looking forward to going with him, but I'm very happy to be going with you," she smiled at him.

After a few more minutes, they were parked in the apartment complex parking lot. "So, what time do you get out tonight?" Tim asked.

"I should get out at ten, but if it's slow tonight, maybe nine. I'll text you or maybe I could meet you at your place?" she suggested as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

Tim nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, that'd be good. I'll text you my address."

"Great! Then I'll see you later tonight. Oh, and hope y'all win today."

"Thanks and see you later," he said before she closed the car door.

He watched her as she walked towards her apartment. The light wind gently pushed her hair to one side until she became fed up with it and tied it back into a ponytail. When she got to her door, she searched through her purse for her keys and when she found them, she waved back at Tim before unlocking her door and going inside.

Tim waved back and laid his back on the headboard. He smiled knowing that he was going to Zito's party with Tessa and mentally thanking Brian for bailing out of the party.


	11. Night Ruiner

TFOSO 11

Tessa smiled as she watched the sunset and the street lights flicker on one by one – the nightlife of San Francisco was beginning to emerge. And that night, she was determined to have fun.

"So, what time do you want me to pick you up tonight?" Emily asked, as her and Tessa walked to their cars.

Tessa shook her head as she turned it towards Emily. "Why do you feel like you need to pick me up?" she asked, with a small laugh.

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I figured since Brian isn't going to the party after all, you'd need a ride."

Tessa grabbed the handle of her car door and once again, shook her head at her friend. "Thanks, but I won't need a ride."

Emily looked almost taken aback by Tessa's statement. "Oh? And why is that? I don't recall you knowing how to get to my brother's house," she wittingly answered back.

Tessa laughed at Emily's comment and rolled her eyes. "Em, I'm getting a ride from someone. They know how to get there, I assure you," she answered.

Even though Tessa thought that would be the end of the conversation, Emily's curiosity wouldn't let it be the last of it. "And who may that be?"

Tessa sighed heavily. She wasn't sure how Emily would react to her answer. "Um…Tim?"

"You sound a little unsure about that," Emily replied.

"No, no. It's Tim. He's taking me to the party tonight," she said, with a guilty tone.

"Does Brian know?"

Tessa took a minute to answer. "No. He hasn't even answered me back from my earlier message. Besides, he's just taking me to the party. It's not like it's a date or anything," she answered, trying to soothe her guilt.

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "If you say you."

Tessa gently grabbed Emily's arm as she turned towards her car. "Hey! I care about Brian. I would never do anything to hurt him like that. I don't have feelings for Tim and he doesn't have feelings for me. Okay?"

Emily nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, okay."

Tessa parked her car and waited inside it a little while longer, sitting back into her seat. She started to mull over her conversation with Emily that happened a few minutes ago. She started to reconsider going to the party. As she got out her phone to call Tim to tell him that she wasn't going after all, she saw her mother was calling her.

"Mom?" she answered.

"Tessa?" her mother answered back.

Tessa laughed. "Hey, haven't heard from you in a long time."

"I know mijita. How are you?" her mother asked.

"I'm good. Just working and starting up an internship. How are you?" she replied.

"Good. Muy buen. About to go play bingo."

"Of course you are. Why am I not surprised?" she laughed.

"And what do you do besides work? Don't you have friends to go out with?"

Tessa rolled her eyes, as she always did when she talked to her mom. "I don't _just _work mother. I'm actually going to a party tonight with some friends," she said, forgetting she was going to cancel with Tim.

"Ah, si? That's good. Be careful Tessa! And when do you fly out to Arizona?"

Tessa almost forgot she had a flight to catch the next day to meet her brother and sister-in-law in Arizona for the All-Star Game. "Tomorrow morning. At like ten. I won't be out late tonight anyways," she assured her mom.

"Bueno. Te quiero mucho. I'll talk to you later," her mother said.

"Love you too. Goodnight," she said before hanging up.

_It couldn't hurt to go… I really do need to get out more. Besides, nothing's going to happen _she thought to herself before heading inside.

Tessa was greeted by the happy yapping of Tucker and the silent glare of MoMo. She fed her cat and placed a leash on Tucker, to take him outside. The air was fresh and cool – it felt like it would be a good night and Tessa intended to end it that way.

Her phone began to vibrate in her pocket and took it out to see it was her brother.

"Clayton?" she answered.

"Yessum?" he answered back.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Not much. Just wanted to remind you about your flight tomorrow and that me and Elle will be picking you up at the airport when you land."

"I don't know what I would do without you. I completely forgot about my flight and that y'all would be picking me up," she said rather sarcastically.

"That's what I'm here for," he replied, either ignoring her tone or completely missing it. Tessa just rolled her eyes. "So, staying in tonight?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so," she lied. "I don't wanna take the chance of missing my flight and all." The last thing she needed was her brother complaining about her going out and convincing her to just stay home.

"Well, alrighty. We will see you tomorrow then. Have a safe flight!"

"Thanks! Y'all have a safe flight too."

Tessa rechecked the GPS on her phone, making sure she was at the right address. She looked up at the beautiful home that sat near a cliff. It wasn't as lavish as Barry's, but stunning nonetheless. She quietly walked towards the front door and rang the doorbell. She wobbled in her stance from nervousness, even though she continued to remind herself there was nothing to be nervous about.

After a couple of minutes went by, she rang the doorbell again. _Maybe he's not even home yet, _she frantically thought. As she was about to send him a text, she heard the front door open, and looked up to see Tim.

He looked happy to see her, but confused by her presence. "Hey, you're here early. Wasn't expecting you for another hour or so," he said.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, thinking she should've let him know she was on her way. "I'm sorry. I ended up getting out of work early and then I thought I'd give myself some time in case I got lost or there was a lot of traffic. I could come back in an hour if you want me to," she rambled.

Tim couldn't help but smile and laugh a little. She was definitely something else, not like other woman he'd met. "That'd be crazy," he responded. "Come inside. I'm sure we can kill some time before we leave."

She gave him a half-hearted smile and quickly walked passed him as she entered his home. Even the inside was lovely, not expecting it to be so clean. For someone who probably wasn't home much, he made it seem like he had lived there for several years.

"Not what you were expecting?" he asked, as he watched her look around.

She turned to face him, shaking her head and she smiled. "It's very nice, though. I especially like the view," she said, redirecting her attention to the glass doors that led to the outside balcony.

Tim began to walk towards it, Cy following close behind. He motioned for Tessa to join him outside. He heard her whisper "wow" as she walked through the doors. It was a breathtaking view of the city and some mountains.

"I have never actually sat out here and enjoyed the scenery. I never noticed how amazing it is," he commented as he sat down on one of the chairs.

She followed his actions and sat in the other chair. "I'd love to live somewhere like this with a beautiful view."

Tim couldn't help but stare at her. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Tessa felt his gaze on her and slowly turned her face towards him. "Something wrong?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and shook his head. "No. You just look really beautiful tonight." She was taken aback by his compliment. "I mean, not that you never look beautiful, because you do…" he continued.

She chuckled. "Tim, it's fine. I get you. But thanks," she said shyly.

After a couple of minutes, he changed the subject. "So, where in Texas did you live that you didn't get a view like this?" he asked.

"I grew up in Dallas. Not that the city wasn't beautiful, but I don't know, there's just something about San Francisco's scenery," she answered, staring back at the city.

"Dallas is a nice city. I've only been there a few times because of baseball, but I liked it. So, it was just you, your brother, and parents then?" he asked, wanting to know more about her.

She sat back into her chair and thought about her answer. "Um…Yeah, for a while. My parents divorced when I was nine and my dad moved to Houston for work. So, after that it was just me, my mom, and brother. But, we would visit my dad whenever we could, mostly during the summer."

Tim understood and could relate to her. "My parents split up when I was young, too. We're all still close. Do your parents come visit when they can?"

"My mom doesn't like to fly. The only time she's visited was when I started college and when I graduated. We're usually the ones to visit her," she laughed.

Tim laughed along. "And your dad? Hasn't had the chance to visit?"

Tessa looked down at the ground and then back out to the view. He noticed she looked a little sad and hoped he didn't strike a chord.

"My dad actually passed away five years ago." Tim mentally kicked himself and wished he had never pried.

"Tessa, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked," he apologized.

She turned to him and smiled. "No, you don't have to apologize. There's no way you would've known. I haven't even told Brian or anyone here actually," she admitted.

Tim felt shamefully proud that he learned of this before Brian. "Still… I can't even imagine life without my dad," he said more to himself.

"Cherish it and be grateful," she answered. Tim just nodded in agreement. "So, what about you? Where do you hail from?" It was her turn to pry.

"I grew up in Renton and currently live in Seattle during the offseason."

Her eyes grew wide at the mention of Seattle. "Seattle's one of my 'need to visit' cities. My mom used to live there when she was little and always said how beautiful it was and that I needed to go."

"Yeah, I love it there. You definitely need to go," Tim suggested

"One day. When I can afford it," she sighed.

"Well, to save you some money, visit during the offseason and you can stay at my place. I have a spare room that hardly ever gets used," he offered.

"That's so sweet, thanks. And for some reason if you ever visit Dallas, you can stay with us – granted that I'm there." They both laughed at her offer. "So, does your family still live in Washington?"

"Yeah, my dad and brother still live in Renton and my mom moved to Bellevue, just a few minutes outside Seattle. I visit them all the time."

Tessa like that he was still close to his family. It reminded her a lot of her and her family. They had more in common than she thought.

Tim's phone lit up from a text message and then noticed the time. They had been talking for well over an hour. "Shit, I should go get ready. We can leave as soon as I'm done," he said, reading his text message. "Make yourself at home. I shouldn't be long."

Tessa went back inside and sat on one of the barstools in the kitchen, looking through her social media feeds, seeing what others were up to that night. She was about to comment on a friend's status when the doorbell rang. She looked towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms, thinking Tim would come out to get the door. When he didn't after the second ring, she slowly walked towards it.

As she looked through the peephole, her eyebrows scrunched together and her mood quickly went from excited to annoyed.

"Tessa?"

"Hi, Robin…"


	12. Good Night

"Strangely, I've never been to one of Barry's parties," Robin said as they drove to Barry's house.

Tessa rolled her eyes and continued to stare out the window. Tim looked into the rear view mirror and saw from Tessa's body language that she was not happy. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her lips formed a straight line. He held back a smile as he returned his direction back on the road.

Robin turned her head in his direction and asked, "You're not planning on drinking tonight are you?"

When Tim finally realized her question was directed at him, he replied, "Um…not really."

"Well, if you do go overboard, I'll drive us back to your place. It's one thing to get pulled over and get charged with possession of marijuana, but it's another to get a DUI," she said, nonchalantly.

Tessa's eyes widened and couldn't believe Robin had made that comment. She was about to say something, when they arrived at the party.

"We're here," Tim said as they parked. As Robin unbuckled her seatbelt, Tim let her know that he had to make a quick call and would be right in, while Tessa pretended to message someone from her phone.

When he saw Robin had made her way to the front door, Tim turned around to face Tessa. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Tessa looked up from her phone. "Sure. Why do you ask?" she replied.

"You seem upset, is all," he answered.

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "No. Just annoyed, really."

"That's probably the better word to describe the vibe you're putting out."

Tessa looked ashamed. "Sorry. I'm annoyed with more than just her, but at the moment it is her," she admitted.

Tim wasn't surprised. "I figured. Your mood completely changed as soon as she came over," he pointed out.

Tessa shook her head. "I just wasn't expecting her to come. If I had known, I would've mentally prepared myself," she half-joked.

Tim smiled. "To be fair, I didn't even know she was joining us. I mean, I mentioned the party to her a few days ago, but she said she had to go out of town, so I didn't think she was coming. But she said her plans got cancelled and decided to surprise me," he explained. "She was actually kinda upset that you were at my place," he recalled from their earlier conversation at his place.

"Why? I haven't done anything to her," Tessa responded.

Tim shrugged his shoulders and looked down for a moment. "She thinks you have a crush on me and there's something between us. That and she said she's pretty sure you don't like her." His eyes met hers when he finished his sentence.

It felt like a baited statement and she was tired of conversations involving her and Tim's feelings for each other. "So, are you two together now?" she asked, wanting to know out of curiosity and wanting to just change the subject.

Tim was surprised she asked that question and didn't really know what to tell her, so they sat in silence for a minute. "Sorry. Never mind, it's none of my business," she said as she was starting to open the door.

"We're not. I mean, we've gone out a few times and hung out with you and Brian and Zito, but nothing official. But, like I said, I'm not looking to date or be serious with anyone."

"Then you might wanna remind her of that…" she said quietly.

They walked to the front door in silence, though the booming music coming from inside was enough to break it. A second or two after they walked in, Tessa felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her to the side.

"Where the hell were you? I saw Robin walk in alone and then I see you and Tim walk in together…" Tessa eyes met Emily's curious expression.

"I was trying to get ahold of Brian. Tim was on the phone with someone," she lied.

Emily narrowed her eyes at Tessa, trying to decipher if she was telling the truth or hiding something. Tessa gave her the best poker face she could muster.

"So, did you get ahold of your beloved?" Emily countered.

Tessa broke a smile and laughed. "He's not my beloved. And no, I didn't. Haven't been able to since he called this morning," she answered sadly.

Emily noticed the hint of sadness in her voice and dragged her to the kitchen and handed her a shot. "Cheer up! Let's just have fun tonight!" she yelled over the music and chatter of people.

Tessa looked at the shot in her hand and shrugged. _Why not?_ She thought. "To having fun!" she exclaimed, raising her shot glass in the air.

Emily laughed and raised her glass next to Tessa's before taking the shot.

Tim spent a good portion of the night talking to the other players, sipping a couple of beers, and ignoring Robin. His eyes would wander around the area from time to time hoping to spot Tessa amongst the crowd, but with so many people, it was hard to catch her.

After a while, Tim felt bad for leaving Robin alone on a couch and took one long last sip of his beer before joining her. "Having fun?" he asked, though already knowing her answer.

She took a quick look at him and then sat back into the couch, "Not really. I feel so out of place here," she admitted.

Tim sighed and followed her actions, gently letting his back rest on the couch. "I'm sorry. I should've introduced you around and not wander off."

"Yeah, that would've been nice," she whispered, though very audible to Tim.

He got up and took her hand in his and helped her up from the couch. "Fine, let's make the rounds and get you networking."

She smiled at his gesture and nodded her head. "Ok. Let's get social."

Before they could make their way to some of Tim's friends, Barry came up to them looking a bit alarmed. "Hey, l think you need to take Tessa home already."

Tim let go of Robin's hand and stepped towards Barry. His face looked concerned. "What happened? Is she okay? Where is she?" he asked frantically.

Barry grabbed ahold of Tim's shoulders and smiled. "She's fine. She's in the kitchen with my sister."

Tim eyed him curiously. "Then why do I need to take her home?"

Barry sighed. "She's drunk. She needs to go home," he answered.

Robin stood next to Tim. "Why can't she just stay here?" she asked, joining in the conversation.

Tim and Barry both looked at her. "Because, Amber comes home tomorrow morning and I can't have random people sleeping around this place when she gets here."

Tim dug into his pocket and took out his car keys." Here, can you go get the car and drive?" he asked handing the keys to Robin.

She looked bewildered as she watched Tim walk away. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Tim didn't bother stopping to answer her and kept on his path to the kitchen. He spotted Emily sitting on one of the stools and sprawled across the counter. His eyes then wandered to the girl sitting at the kitchen table with her head laying on one of the place mats. Tim smiled for some reason and laughed to himself.

He walked up her and gently placed one of his hands on her shoulder. "Hey, Tessa are you awake? Come on, it's time to go home," he whispered.

Tessa groaned as Tim tried to get her up from the chair. He wasn't as lanky as he used to be and could hold his own, but he began to struggle holding Tessa up as she was pretty much deadweights on his shoulder and she had a hard time walking.

Her legs finally gave out from under her and she slowly slid to the ground. "Why haven't you answered me?" she asked as Tim helped her up.

He gave her a puzzled look. Her eyes were closed as she laid her head on top his shoulder. He knew that he wouldn't make it to his car if he had to get there this way. He decided to carry her out through the garage so they wouldn't cause a scene out at the party.

Tim wrapped her arms around his neck and placed his arm under her knees and with all his strength, lifted her up towards his chest. He was relieved on how much easier it was to carry her. Her skin felt warm and soft to the touch. His thumb traced her skin causing goose bumps to appear involuntarily.

"Brian, you haven't answered me all day," she said.

Tim looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed and she nestled her head on the crook of his neck. "Tessa, I'm not Brian," he answered.

She nuzzled her head closer to him, sending a shiver down his spine and giving him goose bumps. "You smell good."

He almost let out a laugh, but smiled at the compliment. "No I don't. I smell like beer and sweat," he remarked.

"No. You smell like Tim."

He stopped in the middle of his tracks. He felt his cheeks grow warm and probably a light shade of red. He could feel his heart race a little faster. "That's because I am Tim."

She finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. She smiled and placed a hand gently on his cheek, caressing it. "Oh, hey Tim. When did you get here?"

He continued walking, spotting his car a few feet away. "Oh, I've been here awhile," he responded back.

Robin got out of the driver's side and opened the back seat door for Tim. "Did she really need to be carried?" she asked.

"Um…yeah? It was hard getting her to walk. This was easier and faster," he answered in an annoyed tone.

Tim gently put her in the back seat, making sure not to hit her head on any parts of the car, and with a little difficulty, buckled her in.

When he and Robin both got settled into their seats and fastened their seat belts, Robin asked, "Where does she live?" she asked, turning around to face them.

She saw Tim brush a few strands of Tessa's hair out of her face and narrowed her eyes at them. "Oh no, just head back to my place."

"Why?" she questioned.

Tim rolled his eyes, beginning to feel frustrated. "Robin, please, could you just drive us back to my place?" he asked, his voiced raised a little.

Robin turned back around and began to drive. The car ride was anything but enjoyable, unless you counted Tessa's incoherent ramblings and mumble enjoyable. Tim thought they were funny, though. Luckily, it didn't take them long to get to his place.

Robin opened the front door to Tim's while Tim carried Tessa inside. "So, do you need me to drive her car and follow you to her place?" she asked.

Tim laid Tessa on one of the sofas and then faced Robin. "No, that's okay. I think it's best if she stayed here."

Robin placed her hands on her hips. "Have her stay here? Just you and her alone here?" she questioned.

Tim couldn't believe what she was implying. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he almost yelled. "She's fucking drunk and you honestly think something is going to happen between the two of us?"

Robin felt embarrassed by her insinuation. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Tim shook his head. "I'm going to put her in the guest bedroom. Do you mind changing her out of her clothes and into some others? I'd understand if you didn't want."

Robin nodded her head and followed Tim to a guest bedroom. He gently laid Tessa on the bed and left the room to get another pair of clothes. He returned with an old T-shirt and a pair of clean boxers.

"There, I think that should be good. I'll be in the living room," he said as he walked out, closing the door behind him.

While Robin changed Tessa, Tim fed Cy and then looked through his cabinets for some aspirin. He was startled by Robin's appearance. "You scared the shit out of me."

She laughed. "Sorry. She's changed. I left her clothes on the bed and her phone and wristlet on the nightstand. She seems to be okay," she said, turning her head towards the room Tessa was in.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"I don't think I've ever seen someone _that _drunk before."

He shrugged his shoulders. "She's twenty-one and probably just needed a release from school and everything. Didn't you ever get a little crazy at that age?"

She shook her head. "No. I guess I've always been more on the serious side and get to the top of my work and career. Anyways, I think I should head out now," she said walking towards the front door.

Tim followed behind her. "Look, Robin. I'm sorry about tonight."

"It's fine. It made me realize something," she responded.

"And what's that?" he asked curiously.

"That we're just incompatible. I mean, I thought I wanted to be with someone different than me, but after tonight, I realized that I need someone who is like me and is on the same page as me. Not that you're not a great guy, obviously, you have a big heart and care about your friends, but I don't know. Do I make sense?" she asked, finally looking into his eyes.

He smiled and nodded his head. "I get it."

She gave him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. After she left, Time grabbed a bottle of water and the aspirin and walked into the room Tessa was in. Her arms were sprawled over her head and one leg was perpendicular to the other, He set the water and medicine on her nightstand and smiled at her. Her head was turned towards him and he could see her chest rise and fall as she breathed. He walked to the bathroom and grabbed the trashcan and set it next to her bedside, just in case she got sick in the middle of the night.

Once he got everything situated, Tim covered her up with a blanket. "You're something else Tessa. Good night," he whispered before leaning down to kiss her forehead.


End file.
